The Marina Bay Sands and casino in Singapore
ITS ARTIFICE IS LEE KUAN YEW
The father of the Singapore we know today is called Lee Kuan Yew. During his 31 years as prime minister, from 1959 to 1990, Lee transformed this island of scarce natural resources into a successful model of mixing private capitalism and state intervention. Another of his recipes for success was the payment of high salaries to public officials to discourage corruption and attract the best prepared young people to public administrations. Lee left politics in 1990 after winning seven elections and died in March 2015.
HIS NAME IS DUE TO A HISTORICAL ERROR
Legend says that the prince of empire Srivijaya , centered on the island of Sumatra in present-day Indonesia, upon arriving on the island he mistook a strange creature for a lion and called the new city Singaporea, a Sanskrit term for city of lions . The heir surely had the wrong animal and it was probably a tiger or a wild boar, as there have never been any lions around in Singapore.
ITS CULTURE IS VERY DIVERSE
The city-state stands out for its multiculturalism, demonstrating that races, cultures and religions can coexist by collaborating with each other. The largest population group are the Chinese who make up about 75% and a quarter of its inhabitants are foreigners from various countries. Malays make up 14% while the Indians mostly Tamils, form around 9% . The rest of the population is a mix of many cultures, especially Eurasians, Thais, and Japanese.
Chinatown in Singapore
YOUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS IMPORTANT
Singapore is known for its educational system that leads international rankings such as the PISA report. Only the best students can access the national institute where future teachers are trained, a profession that is well recognized and respected by society. The system rewards effort and places special emphasis on learning English and science subjects. At the end of primary education, they must pass a revalidation test to be able to choose, based on their grades, where they will be able to pursue their secondary studies. The best students will go to the most prestigious centers.
YOUR RESPECT FOR THE LAW IS ABSOLUTE
Singaporean law is highly protectionist and is known to take little care of human rights. Any demonstration needs special permission and the press is heavily controlled. On the island, any act that could give rise to the slightest instability is penalized with severe punishments that include the death penalty for murder and drug trafficking on a large scale, as well as whipping with a cane for another thirty crimes. Fines are also applied for misconduct such as littering the streets with paper or butts, spitting on the ground, urinating in the elevators or even selling chewing gum.
ITS STREETS ARE IMPECCABLE
Singapore with just over five million inhabitants is one of the most densely populated countries, but more than half of its surface is covered with vegetation. The island has dozens of parks and 4 nature reserves. It is also one of the most prosperous, clean, safe and advanced in the world . The city-state has become in the last 50 years an important financial and commercial center of the Southeast Asian region. Or as it is called by some, “the only shopping center in the world with a seat at the UN”.
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Get ready for another level of cleanliness in Singapore