Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AQ Examples 1
AQ Examples 1
AQ Examples 1
Regardless of the topics you would like to ‘specialise’ on for paper 1 questions, everyone must be a specialist on your society – Singapore. This is important for
the AQ too.
CAVEAT:
● For categories without any specific questions on your society / Singapore – it doesn’t mean the category is unimportant.
● The P1 questions may be sorted in this way but many P1 questions on your society may need knowledge from across many categories. For example, a
question on equality in Singapore may require a discussion of gender, the elderly and also poverty.
Categories Questions – Fill in your responses below each question. Please limit each category to one page and under.
1. Young people ● What is the population of young people (25 and under) in Singapore?
1 : 2.3
Chester Tan ( The most famous Singaporean musician you never know ). He is Singapore’s composer and
instrumentalist released seven albums — his Piano Spa series — in the past 10 years and sold more than 70,000
units across Asia, including Japan and copies across Asia, including Japan and South Korea, which is quite a feat
for any local musician. He has also been awarded some of the most prestigious prizes in the Singapore music
community: At the annual COMPASS Awards, he has bagged gongs for Top Local Instrumental Contemporary
– Instrumental for four years running (2011 to last year) and took the Young Composer Of The Year award in
2011.
Tosh Zhang – Part of casting for Ah Boys to Men films, fifth-highest grossing film of 2012 in Singapore., he has
won The New Paper 's 2012 Breakout Star award, a subcategory of the newspaper's annual Flame Awards.
What support is there for young people in Singapore and which government or non-governmental groups in
particular take care of young people’s needs?
(1) MOE has launched a ‘Singapore Academic and Research Talent Scheme’ to give young Singaporeans
who have a passion for academic career the jumpstart to join Autonomous Universities.
They aim to offer over 1500 scholarships at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels over the next 15
years.
Crime What are some significant youth criminals and what are their offences?
How many crimes were committed by juveniles in Singapore in any of the previous years? (Anything before 2012 is quite
backdated)
~1,400 crimes in 2014 (about 1/10) and recidivism rate 18.9% based on 3years frame in 2009.
1. Singapore Youths-at-risk come from low-income and/or broken families / intact and even well-to-do families, with
foreign domestic helpers & possess a higher degree of resistance, arrogance and feel that the world owes them a
living.
2. 3/10 come from blended families, and have to deal with cope with inconsistent parenting/discipline styles.
3. Mothers of juvenile offenders, be it boys or girls, tend to exercise minimal control over their children.
❖ Under the Penal code, Murder/Manslaughter would result in the death penalty
❖ Under the Arms offences act:
➢ Any person who is in unlawful possession of any arm or ammunition shall be guilty of an offense and shall on
conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term of 5<x<10 years, and shall also be punished with caning
with not <6 strokes.
➢ A person convicted of using or attempting to use any arm while committing or attempting to commit any
scheduled offense shall be punished with death, regardless of whether he intended to cause physical
injury to any person or property
❖ Rape
➢ Punished with imprisonment for not less than eight years and not more than 20 years and shall also be
punished with not less than 12 strokes of the cane.
❖ Robbery
➢ Imprisonment for 2<x<10 years, and caning of not less than six strokes
➢ if the robbery is committed after 7:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m [night robbery]. the offender shall be punished
with imprisonment of 3<x<14 years, and also caning with not less than 12 strokes.
❖ Gang Robbery (committed with five people or more conjointly commit / attempt )
➢ Imprisonment for 5<x<20 years, and also caning with not less than 12 strokes
❖ Shoplifting (legally known as theft in dwelling)
➢ Imprisonment of up to seven years, and also a fine.
❖ Criminal Breach of trust (When a person is entrusted with property or has dominion over property, and dishonestly
misappropriates or converts to his own use that property.)
How are juveniles punished and for what crimes? How do their punishments differ from those meted out on adults?
Instead of Death Sentence, life imprisonment for the crimes that were listed above.
Article 314 of the Criminal Procedure Code states: “A sentence of death must not be passed or recorded against an
accused convicted of an offence if the court has reason to believe that, at the time the offence was committed, he was below
the age of 18 years, but instead the court must sentence him to life imprisonment.” In relation to children aged 7-15, the
Children and Young Persons Act states that for certain grave crimes, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder,
attempted murder, and voluntarily causing grievous hurt, the court may sentence the offender to be detained for the duration
specified in the sentence.The Penal Code punishes culpable homicide and attempted murder with life imprisonment.
Persons aged 16-17 are tried as adults, for which a wider range of crimes are punishable by life imprisonment under the
Penal Code.
1. Public debate in the Singaporean news media on the death penalty is almost non-existent, although the topic does
occasionally get discussed in the midst of major, well-known criminal cases e.g.:
a. Flor Contemplacion, a Filipino domestic worker executed in 1995 for murdering another Filipino domestic
worker and a four-year-old boy. Her execution severely strained relations between Singapore and the
Philippines and caused many Filipinos to vent their frustration at their own government and the Singaporean
government over the helplessness, abuse, and mental stresses that many Filipino overseas workers face
around the world.
b. Toa Payoh ritual murders took place in Singapore in 1981, purportedly as blood sacrifices to the Hindu
goddess Kali. The mastermind of these murders is Adrian Lim, a man who conned many women into offering
him money and sex for his ‘supernatural powers’, and killed children in an attempt to stop police
investigations against him.
2. In October 2007, Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee said in Parliament that "In a survey
done two years ago, reported in the Straits Times, 95% of Singaporeans feel that the death penalty should stay.”
3. The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations wrote a letter to the Special
governments to decide how to balance competing rights against each other. → e.g. Drug traffickers & users’ right to
life infringes on the rights of others to enjoy a safe society. Therefore it is inevitable for the government to carry out
capital punishment against the the drug traffickers to fulfill their duty of ensuring internal security.
4. In 2012, U.S. elected officials and office-seekers have stated that Singapore's success in combating drug abuse
should be examined as a model for the United States. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg also said that
America could learn a thing or two from nations like Singapore when it came to drug trafficking, noting that
“Executing a handful of people saves thousands and thousands of lives."
What are the crimes punishable by death in Singapore (ie death penalty)?
Crimes and Offences listed Under the Penal Code, Kidnapping Act and Misuse of Drugs Act. relevant e.g. from penal code :
- Abetting the suicide of a person under the age of 18 or an "insane" person → No to assisted suicide
Under Compulsory Education Act, a child of ‘compulsory school age’ is one who is above the age of 6 years and who has
not yet attained the age of 15 years.
Compulsory education should be up to Primary 6 as this is considered the minimum period of education for all Singaporean
children.
Tertiary Education: Singapore/PR $190 - Foreigner 3-5 times more for all 3
levels
Polytechnic: Singapore $2,500 , PR $ 5,000, International $8,000
annually
What are the literacy rates in Singapore, and for both genders?
- Male: 96.8% in 2014
- Female: 94.9% in 2014
How do we rank on international rankings for education? [Hint: look up the latest PISA rankings]
What laws/rules are in place for censorship of websites and for other media platforms?
1. Media Development Authority of Singapore Act (Cap. 172)
An Act to establish and incorporate the Media Development Authority of Singapore, to provide for its functions and powers,
and for matters connected therewith.
Find 3 significant examples of censorship that took place in Singapore in the recent 5 years.
Tan Pin Pin’s film, ‘To Singapore, With Love” was banned in 2014 because it “undermined national security" on
the basis that it contained interviews with political exiles, whose accounts, the government said, were "distorted
and untruthful". → This principle being asserted by the government is inimical to freedom of expression,
positioning the government as the final arbiter of truth.
Martyn See's film “Dr Lim Hock Siew” was banned in 2010 because it is against the public interest
The Real Singapore was ordered to shut down in 2015 because it had broken the rules under the Internet Code of
Practice under the Broadcasting Act, by publishing articles that were against public interest and national harmony.
On 12 June 2015, the MDA banned the screening in cinemas of a promotional video for Pink Dot, a gay-pride
event.
Han Hui Hui’s protest to demand transparency and accountability from the government was halted by the police.
Protesters involved include Han and Roy Ngerng, who are charged for public nuisance and charged with holding
a demonstration without a permit under the Parks and Trees Act. They are also banned from using Hong Lim Park
(the only place in Singapore where events do not need express permission by the authorities) until their case is
over.
-
Name the 3 most popular social media platforms used in Singapore and the number of people using them in Singapore.
- 1st: Whatsapp (46%)
Name 5 examples of popular websites in Singapore that are used to engage Singaporeans politically or socially.
- Youtube
- Facebook.com
- Twitter.com
- AsiaOne
- Stomp
- The Real Singapore (already closed down)
Family What are the singlehood, marriage and divorce rates for Singapore in recent years? [Try to get statistics after 2012]
and
Marriage
Singlehood rates: The median age at first marriage among Singapore residents in 2010 was 30.0 for males
and 27.7 for females (Singapore Department of Statistics, 2011).
While high and still on the rise if measured by the proportion of females single at ages 25-29,
Marriage Rates: (~27k) total marriages in 2013
Divorce Rates: (~8k, almost ⅓ of marriages!) total divorces in 2013
Single - 32.2% , Married- 59.55% (twice of single), Windowed- 4.9%, Divorced/Separated- 3.4%]
20-24 year old men that undergo civil marriage 2 times more likely to dissolve marriage than 25 years old
and above.
What is the latest TFR (Total Fertility Rate) for Singapore? How does our TFR rank as compared to other countries?
TFR 2014 is 1.25 ( total birth in 2014 is 42,232 )
Rank position 224 amongst the world.
In which year was our TFR the lowest ever? How low?
In 2013 TFR was 1.19
What policies have been introduced by the Singapore government to reverse low fertility rates? Give a brief description of all of
Compare the average female’s salary to the average male’s salary in Singapore.
What is the percentage of CEO positions held by females in Singapore? What is the percentage of boardroom positions held by
females in Singapore?
(2) Elim Chew, the founder of teenager street-wear chain 77th street.
Now 77th street comprises of 13 local outlets and a whole shopping mall in Beijing known as 77th street
Plaza. She is first fashion retailer to win the Most distinctive brand of Singapore promising brand award
2004.
(3)Indra Nooyi (Indian-born) She is a naturalized American, business executive and current chairperson
and CEO PepsiCo ( 2nd largest food and beverage business in the world by net revenue ) Ranked 13 in
the list of Forbes world’s 100 most powerful woman
(4) Usula M.Burns serves as a chairwoman and CEO of Xerox. As such she is the first African-American
woman CEO to head a fortune 500 company. Forbes rates sher to be 22nd most powerful woman in the
world.
b. political leaders
(1) Angela Merkel , Germany. She was the first female Chancellor to hold position since 2005.
(10yrs)
(2) Hillary Clinton, US.
(3) Sonia Gandhi, India.
(4) Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma
(5) Yingluck Shinawatra , Thailand. She is the first Thailand female prime minister when she led
pheu thai party to victory in 2011
(1)Women Charter Act 2011 - facilitate marriages, mitigate impact of divorce and enhance enforcement of
maintenance orders.
(2) Employment Act - step up to protect women at work. Providing support for women to work, and making
the workplace a safe, conducive environment for them, is critical to building a sustainable workforce and a
mature society, where women have an equal voice and fair opportunities in the public sphere.
What organization/NGO takes care of female or gender related issues in Singapore? Describe briefly.
AWARE (Association of women for action and research). Aims to create a society where there is true gender
equality (where women and men are valued as individuals free to make informed and responsible choices
about their lives)
Ageing & What is the breakdown of numbers for the elderly? [65 – 69 how many? 70-74 how many?]
Elderly ~30k (65 years old to 74 years old)
~20k (75 years old and above)
What percentage of the total population do the elderly constitute?
12.4% of Singapore’s population in 2014
*WHO estimated that 2 billion of the world population will be aged 60 and above by 2050 (⅕).
What are the various Singapore policies which engage the elderly in active ageing? Name all of them and what they do in
various areas.
(1) Central Provident Fund (CPF). This ensure that the elderly are financially secure for their old age by
urging individual to take responsibility in their own living and finance. CPF has been a useful platform for
people to pay for medical services, through Medisave and MediShield. This ensure that savings and
insurance schemes under the CPF are sufficient to provide for a major portion of their expenses.
(2) Build new acute and community hospitals and step down care facilities, as well as recruit and train
sufficient doctors, nurses and carers. We will provide more resources. Despite the spending, services are
kept at an affordable rate.
What are the various forms of help offered to the poor/destitute elderly?
(1) [IN SINGAPORE]
-Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) : one of the Ministry of Health (MOH)’s programmes to help
provide accessible and affordable medical and dental care to Singapore Citizens.
-Interim Disability Assisted Programme for Elderly : provides financial help to need and disabled
Singaporeans, who were not eligible to join ElderShield due to their age and pre-existing conditions
-Foreign Domestic Worker Grant :provides a monthly grant of $120 for families who hire foreign domestic
workers to care for an elderly person or person with at least moderate disabilities. This Grant will help alleviate the
cost of care for families, and support ageing-in-place and caregiving at home
-Senior’s Mobility and Enabling Fund : provides even more holistic and comprehensive support for seniors to
remain mobile and to live independently in the community. It also offers greater support to caregivers in caring for
their seniors at home.
An ageing-friendly labour market requires increased recruitment of older adults and elimination of
promotion barriers and retirement regulations that neglect older adults’ wishes and competencies.
(2)Happy People Helping People (HPHPF), an independent non-profit organisation. The main aim of this
organisation is to generate awareness among the public about the needy all around the world. They also aim to
be able to help those less fortunate and at the same time provide volunteers a chance to participate and be of
service to the disadvantaged as well.
They set up a Facebook Page and initiated an online fundraising project and had their first “Feed the Homeless”
project in Jakarta. The money was used to purchase ready-to-eat food and drinks.
They organized its first ‘Extend the Feast’ in Toa Payoh (food rationing programme) as a pre-Christmas event. In
the spirit of Christmas, the event was meant to spread joy amongst the lonely, as well as to give assistance to the
poor.
-The public health nurse offers free around-the-clock services including patient education, care, and
treatments
-"Seniors Help Seniors" Program : Volunteer work is a new phenomena in Denmark. The intention is to fight
loneliness by creating a network for senior citizens. The perspective is to broaden the volunteer profile by
integrating volunteer work into the senior citizen's daily life regardless of the volunteer's age, profession, or ethnic
background, thus developing a "shared social understanding" that hopefully will strengthen Denmark's social
welfare profile
-The "Roedovre project" from 1984 created the basis for the new law on Preventive Home Visits to the
Aging (July 1996), documenting the effect of prevention on illness, weakness, and psychological and social
problems. All persons over 75 years of age are entitled to receive at least two home visits annually. The goal of
these visits is to secure safety and well-being
How many Singaporeans emigrated overseas in recent years? Which are the top countries where Singaporeans are migrating
to?
About 1200. Australia, Britain, the United States and China
How many Singaporeans are living/working/studying overseas at any one time? Where are they?
- 212,000 Singaporeans were living overseas
- Australia, Britain, the United States, China, United Kingdom
How have we tried to maintain ties with Singaporeans living/working/studying overseas?
- Singapore Day
- Singapore speaker series
- Singapore buzz
- Camp@home
How dense (crowded) is Singapore? [Numbers please!]
- 7,615 people per square kilometre
Foreigner How many foreigners are there in Singapore and what % of the total population do they constitute? [These are non-citizens and
s& also NOT Singaporean PRs]
Migration 1.60million (as of 2014)
– How much has the population of foreigners grown in the last 10 years?
classificat 1.39m to 1.6m from 2011 to 2014
ion of
foreigners while locals only increased from 3.26 to 3.34 million in same time period
How many PRs in Singapore?
~520k (as of 2014)
What is the 2014 White Paper on Population? Sum up the White Paper to show how we are coping with the population increase
brought about through immigration.
This White Paper sets out the key considerations and roadmap for Singapore’s population policies to address this demographic
challenge. It outlines the Government’s policies to maintain a strong Singaporean core in the population, regulate how many new
Singapore citizens (SCs) and permanent residents (PRs) we take in, create jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans, build a hi gh quality
living environment, as well as strengthen our identity and society.
Work, What is the current unemployment rate in Singapore?
pace of 1.8% of labour force
life, What is the latest official retirement age in Singapore?
labour and
62 years old. Offer re-employment for workers to age of 65
salaries
What policies do we have in place to encourage the reemployment of older workers in Singapore?
(1)Government offers Grants like Job Redesign Grant, which gives employers up to $300,000 to defray
the cost of redesigning their workplace so as to improve productivity. By doing so, it can recruit and retain
workers.
(2) Raise the skills of older workers, through grants and subsidies for continual education and
training, and will help to reinforce positive perceptions of older workers, by conducting advisory sessions
and training workshops to encourage employers to tap on their expertise.
(3)Singapore’s tripartite partners – government, employers and unions – have collectively released a
Tripartite Advisory to help employers understand and prepare for re-employment.
(5) Tripartite Workgroup on Enhancing Employment Choices for Women which was formed last year
has successfully matched over 2,000 women with jobs in administration, childcare, security, retail and
hospitality sectors. By adopting more flexible work arrangements, this encourages older female workers
to re-join workforce. The rate for females rose significantly from 50.9% in 2003 to 58.1% in 2013, though this was
still below the 75.8% for men.
What are the top 5 highest paid jobs in Singapore? Bottom 5 lowest paid jobs? How much are their salaries?
Its 2015 Singapore Salary Guide also highlighted several jobs as particularly high-paying.
Network and systems engineers can make up to $4,000 to $7,000, while application development
consultants can earn up to $5,000 to $7,000 and financial accountants can earn up to $4,500 to $9,500.
Supply chain managers can earn up to $5,000 to $14,000 and compliance managers can make up to
$10,000 to $12,500. These figures apply to experienced professionals.
What is the average annual salary in Singapore [NOT GDP per capita]
Gross Monthly Income from Work (including CPF contributions) of Full Time employed resident in 2014 -
$3,770 (50th percentile) $1,972 (20th Percentile)
Singapore is ranked as the fourth livable country in Asia according to the Global Liveable Cities Index. The
index, designed to help international firms work out how much to pay employees to live and work in a given
city, ranks cities based on measures such as stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and
infrastructure.
How to quantify that Singapore’s pace of life is much faster than in other countries?
the Pace of Life project, a joint effort by professor Richard Wiseman and the British Council, tried to answer
those questions by measuring life in 32 world cities and contextualizing the speed of life around the globe.
Singapore has the fastest pace of life as we take the shortest time of 10.55s to move 60ft
Environm What are the specific environmental issues Singapore faces? [NB. Not the generic ones please]
ent - seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
problems - climate change
and - limited natural freshwater resources
policies - limited land availability presents waste disposal problems
- industrial pollution
- dugong
Give 3 examples of local efforts to conserve biodiversity / forests / animals [Either initiated by NGOs, individuals or together with
government agencies]
- Marine Rehabilitation Programme by NParks
- Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters Programme by NParks
- Earth Day Clean Up by wildlife reserve singapore
What is our stance with regards to the Kyoto Protocol? Have we ratified it?
Yes, Singapore has ratified the Kyoto Protocol in April 2006. Singapore's climate change policy underwent an apparently
significant shift in 2006, when the country announced that it would accede to the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
Defence, We are a member of which regional/international organisations?
security ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
and Secretariat, and a member of the East Asia Summit, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Commonwealth of
diplomati
c links
Nations. [REGIONAL]
United Nations, UNESCO, WHO, WMO, WTO, WCO (many worh.. )
Who do we conduct military exercises with? Give 2 – 3 examples
Singapore is hosting a major Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) joint exercise involving air maritime
and land forces from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and United Kingdom.
Give an example of a diplomatic spat that we have had with Indonesia in the last 10 years. What happened and how was it
resolved?
Haze Crisis in 2013. Singapore is facing its worst pollution crisis in more than a decade, after forest fires in
Indonesia caused air quality in the neighbouring city - usually relatively pollutant-free - to plunge into the
hazardous zone, reaching readings of up to 400 on the "Pollutant Standards Index".
According to the National Environmental Agency, air becomes "very unhealthy" when it hits the 200 mark and is
"hazardous" at 300.
However, Indonesia has refused to apologise for the haze crisis, insisting instead its government would do
In 2015 The Haze Returns. Indonesia has again put forth same excuses and even said that:
“Firstly, we wanted to try and do it on our own. Secondly, we didn’t realise the process would be so long. Thirdly,
(Singapore) offered only one aircraft. It was insulting.”
Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung also said that Jakarta earlier refused help for fear that Singapore
would take all the glory in putting out the fires.
Indonesia naming navy ships after executed commandos who took part in 1965 bombing of MacDonald
House on Orchard Road which killed 3 people and injured 33. Singapore believed that it will have an impact
on the feelings of Singaporeans especially the families of the victims.
This was resolved with PM Lee Kuan Yew visited and scattered flowers on the grave of the two marines.
Terrorism Give 3 examples of terror groups who pose a threat to South East Asia and to Singapore. Who are the leaders of the groups?
– threats [Specific names please]
and (1) ISIS The organisation is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Little is known about him, but it is believed he was
policies born in Samarra, north of Baghdad, in 1971 and joined the insurgency that erupted in Iraq soon after the
2003 US-led invasion.
(2) Jemaah Islamiyah. It is a transnational organisation with cells in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and
Philippines. It is also called a mini Al-Qeada and has links to Moro Islamic Literation Front and Jamaah
Ansharut Tauhid. It was established as a loose confederation of several Islamic groups. Sometime around
1969, three men, Abu Bakar Bashir, Abdullah Sungkar and Shahrul Nizam 'PD' began an operation to
propagate the Darul Islam movement, a conservative strain of Islam
(3) Boko Haram. Its founding leader is Mohammed Yusuf and was killed in 2009.
Name all previous terror attacks [even from those in the 60s] that have ever occurred in Singapore.
(1) MacDonald House bombing by Indonesia saboteurs killed 3 people [ 10 March 1965 ]
(2) Laju incident [ 31 Jan 1974 ]
(3) Four Pakistan hijacked Singapore Airlines Flight 117 and demanded the release of Pakistan peoples party
e.g. of simulation : 18 November 2013- Exercise Heartbeat 2013 was conducted, placed at random locations
like greenview secondary school, ITE college central, plaza singapura, one-north and raffles place SSWG
buildings. In this exercise, two “gunmen” car-jacked the police care after opening fire at Raffles place, and then
drove away. They were later shot dead by police officers at Queenstown Secondary School and police officers
later confiscated explosive devices
When have we used these laws and against who? Give the background please. [Hint: Recent arrest of wannabe ISIS members]
(2) In 2004, Singapore had claimed it had successfully removed local branch of Jemaah Islamiyah through
detaining suspects without trial. Most are alleged members of the JI regional terrorist group and all are
being held under the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for people deemed a national
security threat to be detained for two years without trial. The power of preventive detention in the ISA is
used when prosecution is not practical and the threat is real and must be dealt with.
The government also is adamant the ISA has contributed to what it rates as a highly successful campaign
against JI, which was behind the Bali bomb blasts in October 2002 and is regarded as the major Southeast
Asian affiliate of al-Qaeda.
This is shown in the ability to cripple local JI and Moro Islamic Liberation Front Networks.
❖ National Arts Council (NAC) → An operating budget of $109.84 million (~$110mil) will be provided for this purpose in
FY2015. → provides support to develop and professionalise the entire arts value chain, including artists and arts
professionals in the supporting industries.
How much did the Esplanade cost to build? Who designed the Esplanade?
● The building was designed by two architectural firms working in conjunction: by DP Architects (DPA) of Singapore
and the London-based Michael Wilford & Partners (MWP)
Note: For its last financial year ending March 2014, the Esplanade incurred a loss of S$2.3 million, the first operating
deficit since its opening, compared with its previous financial year’s income of S$136,874.This loss was despite the
Esplanade racking up relatively similar numbers in terms of audience attendance and activities from the previous year and
was attributed primarily to the drop in sponsorship and donations.
What are the famous arts events in Singapore? How many visitors to these events?
❖ Art Stage Singapore, an international arts fair which is in its fourth year, attracts some of the world’s most influential
private arts collectors and corporate buyers, and saw 28 countries participating in the arts event. During Art Stage
2014, it welcomed a record 45,700 visitors to the fair.
➢ During the VIP Preview, all nine works from Singapore Abstract Art painter Ruben Pang were sold within an
hour + Milenko Prvacki's 12-square metre artwork also closed the biggest sale for $120k. → Local
paintings have also been enjoying a higher demand from international arts collectors and investors.
❖ Affordable Art Fair Singapore saw 13,400 visitors to the 74 galleries that were involved.
❖ Singapore Night Festival, a nocturnal extravaganza that includes aerial performances, music, dance and installation
artworks in the heart of the Bras Basah and Bugis precinct, one of Singapore’s most well-known arts and heritage
districts. The festival’s main events take place on the public green spaces of SMU, with late-night openings at
cultural venues such as the National Museum of Singapore, the Peranakan Museum and Singapore Art Museum,
among others.
What famous art exhibitions have showcased in Singapore? Artists? Ticket sales?
❖ The Wetterling Teo Gallery is one of the first international contemporary art galleries to operate in South-East Asia,
❖ Goh Soo Khim is a Singaporean ballerina and a highly respected doyen in Singapore’s dance scene. She is also the
co-founder / Artistic Director of Singapore Dance Theatre. She was awarded the prestigious Cultural Medallion in
1981 and the National Day Public Service Medal in 1989 for her outstanding contributions to the
development of dance in Singapore. In 2008, she also won Woman of the Year award.
❖ The most successful Chinese-American playwright David Henry Hwang’s Golden Child
❖ Ekachai Uekrongtham’s Chang and Eng
A contemporary theatre company committed to creating Set up in the year 2000 by Selena Tan, Dream Academy
PANGDEMONIUM! PRODUCTIONS
❖ Stella Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill → family life; finding power and fulfilment in the role of wife and mother.
❖ Ekachai Uekrongtham’s Chang and Eng → first English Language Musical to be ever performed in the People's
Republic of China between 9th - 11 December 1997 at the Century Theatre, Beijing about the trials a Siamese twins
faced as they were stigmatised by society.
Name some iconic old buildings that have been conserved and restored in Singapore. How much did conservation efforts cost?
Based on annual Urban Redevelopment Authority(URA)’s Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA), which recognise the efforts
of owners, architects, engineers, and contractors who have gone the extra mile to undertake high quality and sensitive
restoration of National Monuments and conservation buildings:
1. St James Power Station → 3 Sentosa Gateway. (SG’s first coal-fired power plant in 1927→ cluster of multi-themed
after-hours entertainment complex) 2005
2. Clifford Pier Building and Customs Harbour Branch building, once facilitated the arrival of leisure seekers and traders
to and from Singapore → Fullerton Bay Hotel. 2011
3. Yueh Hai Ching temple built in the 1820s → 30B Philip street 2014
Race, What is the racial breakdown of people living in Singapore? [% of each race + absolute numbers]
Religion,
Culture
National Racial Groups Based on 2014
heritage and
Chinese 74.3
national
history
Malays 13.3
Indians 9.1
Others 3.3
Give 3 incidences of racial/religious conflict that has taken place in Singapore’s modern history (ie from 1965 – now). One of the
examples should be from the last 5 years. [Hint: NO, the Little India riots is NOT a racial riot]
Charged by Sedition Act ( anyone found guilty of promoting feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes
of the population of Singapore faces a fine of up to $5,000, or up to three years' jail, or both):
❖ Ello Ed Mundsel Bello 28-year old Filipino arrested, charged under Sedition Act for his comments in one post, where
he allegedly vowed to "evict" Singaporeans from their country and wrote that "Pinoy better and stronger than
Stinkaporeans".
❖ A couple allegedly published seditious articles on sociopolitical website The Real Singapore (TRS) between October
2013 and March this year, which promoted ill will and hostility between different classes of the Singapore population
(Filipinos).
➢ e.g saying that it was a Filipino who complained to police about noise from drummers during the Thaipusam
Procession.
➢ Link : Thaipusam procession on 3Feb 2015
■ Organisers asked a group to stop playing drums at the junction of Serangoon Road and Desker Road,
as it was not allowed according to the police permit for the event.
■ Lam Pin Min a MP then responded by sharing the article and captioning it with “An example of how
alcohol intoxication causes rowdiness and public nuisance” → Offended the Indians as they think he is
being racist and did not get his facts right (but the police did report it that way… or should u doubt the
police?) → Filmmaker Martyn See then filed police complaint using the Sedition Act against him
❖ In 2011 where a Young People’s Action Party (YP) member Jason Neo implied that a bus full of Malay
schoolchildren were terrorist trainees and quits the YP therafter.
❖ Leslie Chew’s Demon-cratic Singapore facebook page once featured a satirical comic where it depicts a politician
Technolo How much has Singapore invested in technological research facilities? Where are our research facilities situated? What are
gical they?
invention
s/
scientific The government has invested over $5billion in building up industrial, human and intellectual capital in technological
discoveri research facilities such as Biopolis and Fusionopolis. Co-located at one-north, they are home to the Agency for Science,
es. Technology and Research (A*STAR)’s research institutes, consortia and centres spanning multiple research disciplines from
bioimaging to microelectronics.
What is the size of the pharmaceutical industry in Singapore? How much income generated and how many jobs created?
Healthcare expenditure in Singapore was over $12 billion in 2013, representing 6% of GDP. Per-capita healthcare
expenditure has increased almost 300% over the past decade to more than $2,400 in 2013, second only to Japan in the
Asian region.
Name 3 notable scientific discoveries made by researchers in Singapore. Name 3 medical discoveries/cures/test kits made by
researchers in Singapore. Name 3 technological innovations made by scientists/researchers [Can be ICT, defence,
environmental technology etc] Also name the researcher/scientist.
❖ Laser cooling, also known as optical refrigeration, had only been demonstrated in glass or crystal materials doped
with rare-earth metals. However, Singapore scientists has demonstrated for the first time, the ability to cool
semiconductors using this technique. → may even lead to the development of computer chips that cool on their
own, minimizing heat and thus prolonging battery life for portable devices like tablets and smart phones. [Nature,
AsianScientist 2013]
➢ In their experiment, they cooled the semiconductor from 20 degrees Celsius down to minus 20 degrees
Health Name all of our hospitals in Singapore. Which are private, which are public hospitals?
and Private Hospitals:
Medical - ● Farrer Park Hospital
● Gleneagles Hospital
● Mount Alvernia Hospital
● Mount Elizabeth Hospital
● Parkway East Hospital
● Raffles Hospital
● Thomson Medical Centre
● Westpoint Hospital
Public Hospitals:
● Alexandra Hospital
● Changi General Hospital
● Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
● National University Hospital
● Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
● Singapore General Hospital
● Tan Tock Seng Hospital
● KK Women's and Children's Hospital
Top 5 Leading causes of death in Singapore? [Note the different causes for both genders]
Cancer, Pneumonia, Cardiovascular Heart Disease, Strokes and Diabetes.
Industries that are expected to grow in 2015 are banking & finance, life sciences, supply chain, procurement and
logistics and advanced manufacturing.
What statistics / study / ranking can you cite to show that the Singapore government is not corrupt?
Corruption Perceptions Index 2014 - Rank 7th out of 175 countries with Control of Corruption 2010 being 99% percentile.
What illustrations can you cite to show that the Singapore government and civil service are highly respected overseas for good
governance? [Hint: which countries have come to Singapore to learn from us?]
Sports – Name 5 of our more successful sports and what awards have been won at which international/regional competitions.
local
sportsme 1) Silat
n a) Sheik Farhan, the 17-year-old son of two-time world champion Sheik Alau’ddin, also became a world champion at the 2015 Pencak
Silat World Championships in Phuket.
2) 2011 World Netball Championships
3) Football
a) 24 times Champion in Malaysia Cup & the champion of the Tiger Cup, the premier football competition in
South-East Asia in 2012.
4) Swimming
a) Joseph Schooling won SG’s first swimming medal at the Commonwealth Games by being 2nd in the 100m
butterfly.
b) Tao Li 2-time Asian Games Gold Medalist
How much did Singapore spend on the new Sports Hub in Kallang? S$1.3bil
How much did Singapore spend on the YOG in 2010? How much is Singapore spending on the SEA Games in 2015?
Tourism How many tourists visited Singapore last year? Name the top 5 countries these tourists come from.
and
Travel Top 5 countries are Indonesia (300k), China (120k) , Australia (100k), Malaysia (150k) and India (80k)
Rising trend
What are the 3 most popular tourist attractions in Singapore? How many visitors?
(2)Night Safari - about 1.1 million visitors per year ( on May 2007, it received 11 millionth visitor )
(4) Marina Bay Sands - an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore which has the world’s most
expensive Casino property at $8billion. It was officially opened on 2011
What are upcoming challenges/threats to our tourist industry? What is the industry doing to prepare itself for it?
[Singapore’s tourism development has grown from 900,000 visitors is 1964 to 15.5 million in 2013]
(1) Ensure Tourism industry in Singapore to grow every year. According to UNWTO’s forecast, the
strongest tourism growth will be seen in Asia and the Pacific, and arrivals to Asia are expected to increase
at about 5% per year to 2030.
[Measures]
1. adopting a yield-driven marketing approach
2. Enhancing destination attractiveness to continue attract tourists to visit or revisit Singapore
3.Supporting industry competitiveness to ensure sustainable growth