“Being forward-looking has enabled Singapore to ride through trying times and achieve progress.” Do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [13m]

Issue : How Singapore ride through trying times and achieve progress.

Given factor : Being forward looking

Alternative measure : Meritocracy and harmonious relationship among the different races.

Rank Order

Necessary factor to ensure Singapore’s ability to ride through trying times and achieve progress : Being forward looking

Supporting factor to ensure Singapore’s ability to ride through trying times and achieve progress. Meritocracy and harmonious relationship among the different races.

Singapore has been to several trying times and yet have managed to achieve progress. Singapore has managed to develop from a third world country to a first world country in a short span of 40 years.

Being forward looking and anticipating changes is important to enable Singapore to ride through trying times and achieve progress. In this way, Singapore will stay relevant in the globalised economy. It involves planning ahead to meet the future needs of Singapore.

For example, the Singapore government actively look for an alternative source of water such as NEWater treatment projects and desalination plants to meet future needs for water as the water agreements with Malaysia will run out by 2011 and 2061. The production of NEWater and desalinated water means that we have alternative water supplies. The need to change to using more NEWater was communicated to the public clearly. If we do not have a constant supply of water, Singapore will have to go through a trying time but because Singapore is forward looking, she can overcome the trying times ahead.

Another example to show how being forward looking has helped Singapore through trying time and achieve progress is the plan to build two Integrated Resorts (IRs) in order for Singapore to compete better with other countries in the tourism sector. IRs will provide tourists with world class attractions and entertainment in a single destination.It will aslo provides jobs for the people. If Singapore did not plan for the two IRs early, there would be unemployment and Singapore will not be able to attract tourist with world class attractions. The willingness to anticipate change and stay relevant which is part of being forward looking has ensured that Singapore will continue to stay competitive in the world economy. Planning ahead to meet new challenges will bring about stability and that changes will not take the nation by surprise. Therefore by being forward-looking it has enabled Singapore to ride through tryingtimes and achieve progress

Besides being forward looking, Singapore overcame many trying times by upholding the principle of meritocracy. The principle of “meritocracy” is important to encourage the people to excel in whatever they do. In the Civil Service, officers are promoted based entirely on qualifications and performance.By promoting the principle of meritocracy, it ensures that policies laid down by the government is implemented effectively and that no segment of society benefits through corrupt practices. In this way, Singapore was able to ride through trying time and achieved progress.

The ability for Singapore to ride through trying time and achieve progress also depends on harmony among the various communities in Singapore. The principle of “fairness” refers to fair treatment of all Singaporeans. Everyone should feel that they have a share in Singapore’s economic success. The government gives out Singapore shares to all citizens when the economy is doing well. Also, in ensuring fairness in the society, the government adopted the policy of multi-racialism. The policy of multi-racialism recognises English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil as official languages of Singapore. Thus each community can retain and develop its own language and culture in its own separate arena. The Constitution also prohibits laws favouring a certain group of people because of race or religion. In this way when Singapore faces challenges that threaten to tear the community apart, Singaporean are able to work together to face the trying times.

Being forward-looking has enabled Singapore to ride through trying times and achieve progress. For example, Singapore built alot of HDB flats for the people so that the people's standard of living and quality of life improved. But this is not the only factor. She must have a group of effective civil servants to implement the policy and this is achieved through the principle of meritocracy.

Nowadays , because of the threat of transnational terrorism, the people must bond together to fight the enemy. This is done through the principle of fairness. When all the community in Singapore can see that they are treated fairly, they will be willing to work together through this trying time of terrorism