Brief History Of Singapore

"It is a place that cherishes its past as it looks to the future." The earliest known mention of Singapore was a 3rd century Chinese account which described Singapore as "Pu-luo-chung" ("island at the end of a peninsula"). Little is known about the island's history at this time but this matter-of-fact description belies Singapore's colourful past. By the 14th century, Singapore had become part of the mighty Sri Vijayan empire and was known as Temasek ("Sea Town"). This was no less accurate than the 3rd century name. Located at the natural meeting point of sea routes at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore had long known visits from a wide variety of sea craft, from Chinese junks, Indian vessels, Arab dhows and Portuguese battleships to Buginese schooners. During the 14th century, this small but strategically-placed island had earned a new name "Singa Pura", or "Lion City". According to legend, a visiting Sri Vijayan prince saw an animal he mistook for a lion and Singapore's modern day name was born. The British provided the next notable chapter in the Singapore story. During the 18th century, they saw the need for a strategic "halfway house" to refit, feed and protect the fleet of their growing empire, as well as to forestall any advances by the Dutch in the region. It was against this political backdrop that Sir Stamford Raffles established Singapore as a trading station. The policy of free trade attracted merchants from all over Asia and from as far afield as the United States and the Middle East. By 1824, just five years after the founding of modern Singapore, the population had grown from a mere 150 to 10,000. In 1832, Singapore became the centre of government for the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of telegraph and steamship increased Singapore's importance as a centre for the expanding trade between East and West. Singapore had been the site of military action in the 14th century when it became embroiled in the struggle for the Malay Peninsula between Siam (now Thailand), and the Java-based Majapahit Empire. Five centuries later, it was again the scene of significant fighting during World War II. Singapore was considered an impregnable fortress, but the Japanese overran the island in 1942. After the war, Singapore became a Crown Colony. The growth of nationalism led to self-government in 1959 and on 9 August 1965, Singapore became an independent republic.

Singapore Today
"It is a city with its head in the future and its soul in the past." Singapore is not just one island but a main island with 63 surrounding islets. The main island has a total land area of 682 square km. However, its compact size belies its economic growth. In just 150 years, Singapore has grown into a thriving centre of commerce and industry. Its former role as an entrepot has diminished, as the Republic has increased its manufacturing base. Singapore is the busiest port in the world with over 600 shipping lines sending super tankers, container ships and passenger liners to share.

Climate
"It is a place where the sun shines through the rain." Singapore's climate is warm and humid, with only slight variations between the average maximum of 31 degrees Celcius and minimum of 23 degrees Celcius. This makes it ideal for those who enjoy sunbathing, swimming, sailing and other water sports. But for those who do not enjoy the tropical climate, Singapore is sheltered from the worst effects of the sun with air-conditioning in almost all of its shops, hotels, office buildings and restaurants.

Rain falls throughout the year, with more consistent rain coming during the monsoon season from November to January. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but also brief and refreshing.

Geographical Location
"It is far from ordinary, yet comforts are always near." Located at one of the crossroads of the world, Singapore's strategic position has helped it grow into a major centre for trade, communications and tourism. Its geographical location is 136.8 km north of the equator, between latitudes 103 degrees 38' E and 104 degrees 06' E. It is linked to Malaysia by two causeway bridges and the key islands of the Riau archipelago of Indonesia are just a quick ferry trip away. Thailand and the Philippines are a short plane journey away and Singapore, with an airport served by more than 69 airlines, is very much the gateway to South-East Asia.

People, Language and Religion

"Its cultures are diverse but united." People Although geography has played a part in the success of Singapore, its mainstay is its people. Lacking natural resources, Singapore's strength is its hardworking, adaptable and resilient population. Singapore's population of almost four million comprises 77% Chinese, 14% Malays, 8% Indians and 1% Eurasians and people of other descent. The original inhabitants were Malay fishermen, but after the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles and the establishment of a British trading post, Singapore became a magnet that drew hundreds of thousands of migrants and merchants. Seeking a better life for themselves and their families, they came from the southern provinces of China, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Ceylon and the Middle East. Though inter-marriages have taken place over the years, each racial group within Singapore has retained its own cultural identity while developing as an integral part of Singapore community.

Language There are four official languages in Singapore: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English. English is the language of business and administration, and is widely spoken and understood. Most Singaporeans are bilingual, and speak their mother tongue as well as English. Malay is the national language.

Religion With this mixture of people, Singapore is also a mixture of religions. Singapore's skyline boasts the distinctive minarets of mosques, spires of gothic cathedrals, intricate figurines of Hindu temple gods and distinctive roof architecture of Chinese temples. The main religions are Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Zoroastrainism.

Singapore Demographics Profile

Population
4,740,737 (July 2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 338,419/female 314,704) 15-64 years: 77% (male 1,774,444/female 1,874,985) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 196,101/female 242,084) (2011 est.)

Median age
total: 40.1 years male: 39.6 years female: 40.6 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.817% (2011 est.)

Birth rate
8.5 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Death rate
4.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Net migration rate

4.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Sex ratio
at birth: 1.077 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.32 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.14 years male: 79.53 years female: 84.96 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.11 children born/woman (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,400 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths
fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

Nationality
noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups
Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

Religions
Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Languages
Mandarin (official) 35%, English (official) 23%, Malay (official) 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil (official) 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census)

Education expenditures
3.2% of GDP (2009)

Political Environment of Singapore

The politics of Singapore takes the form of a parliamentary republic whereby the President of Singapore is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the cabinet. Like many countries in the world today, there are three separate branches of government: the legislature, executive and judiciary. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Singapore. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The legislature is the parliament, which consists of the president as its head and a single chamber whose members are elected by popular vote. The role of the president as the head of state has been, historically, largely ceremonial although the constitution was amended in 1991 to give the president some veto powers in a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of key judiciary, Civil Service and Singapore Armed Forces posts. He also exercises powers over civil service appointments and internal security matters.

Political background
Singaporean politics have been dominated by the People's Action Party (PAP) since the 1959 general election when Lee Kuan Yew became Singapore's first prime minister (Singapore was then a self-governing state within the British Empire). The PAP has been in government and won every General Election since then. Singapore left the Commonwealth in 1963 to join the Federation of Malaysia, but was expelled from the Federation in 1965 after Lee Kuan Yew disagreed with the federal government in Kuala Lumpur. Foreign political analysts and several opposition parties including the Workers' Party of Singapore and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) have argued that Singapore is a de facto one-party state. The Economist Intelligence Unit classifies Singapore as a "hybrid" country, with authoritarian and democratic elements. Freedom House does not consider Singapore an "electoral democracy" and ranks the country as "partly free". Reporters Without Borders ranked Singapore 140th out of 167 countries in its 2005 Worldwide Press Freedom Index. It has also been alleged that the PAP employs censorship, gerrymandering and the filing of civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander to impede their

success. Several former and present members of the opposition, including Francis Seow, J.B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan perceive the Singaporean courts as favourable towards the government and the PAP due to a lack of separation of powers. There are however three cases in which opposition leader Chiam See Tong sued PAP ministers for defamation and successfully obtained damages before trial. Jeyaretnam lost a series of suits to members of the PAP and was declared bankrupt in 2001, effectively disqualifying him from participating in future elections. Similar civil suits have been filed against Chee Soon Juan, leader of the Singapore Democratic Party. In 2005, filmmaker Martyn See shot a documentary on Chee called "Singapore Rebel" and was threatened with a lawsuit for making a "politically partisan" film, which is illegal in Singapore. In 2008, Chee Soon Juan along with his sister Chee Siok Chin were again sentenced to jail for testimony they provided in court. Both have been made bankrupt and are prohibited from leaving the country.

Executive
Cabinet

The cabinet forms the executive of the government and it is answerable to parliament. It consist of sitting members of parliament and is headed by a prime minister, the head of government. The current prime minister is Lee Hsien Loong. Neither the prime minister nor members of the cabinet are elected by parliament. Instead, the prime minister is appointed by the president, who in his/her view is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the parliament. Cabinet members, also known as ministers, are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. The cabinet in Singapore collectively decides the government's policies and has influence over lawmaking by introducing bills. Ministers in Singapore are the highest paid politicians in the world, receiving a 60% salary raise in 2007 and as a result Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's pay jumped to 3.1 million Singapore dollars, five times the $400,000 earned by President Barack Obama. Although there was a brief public outcry regarding the high salary in comparison to the size of the country governed, the government's firm stance was that this raise was required to ensure the continued efficiency and corruption-free status of Singapore's "world-class" government

Legislative
Parliament House
The unicameral Singaporean parliament is the legislature in Singapore with the president as its head. Before independence in 1965, it was known as the Legislative Assembly. It currently consists of 87 members of parliament. The maximum term of any one parliament is five years, after which a general election

must be held within three months of the dissolution of parliament. The 87 elected members of parliament (MPs) are elected on a plurality voting basis and represent either single-member constituencies (SMCs) or group Representation Constituencies (GRCs). In GRCs, political parties field a team of between three to six candidates. At least one candidate in the team must belong to a minority race. Formerly, there were no GRCs, and all constituencies of Singapore were represented by one member, but amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act in 1991 led to the creation of GRCs, thus creating a plurality voting system in the process. This development has led to complaints from opposition parties that they are often unable to field one, let alone three or more candidates. Out of the 87 members of parliament, 10 are female.In the last general election in 2006, the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP) won 82 of the 84 seats, with the same configuration as the previous election in 2001, but with a loss of 9% of the popular vote. The constitution also provides for the appointment of other members of parliament not voted in at an election. Up to six Non-Constituency Members of Parliament from the opposition political parties can be appointed. Currently, there is one NonConstituency Member of Parliament. A constitutional provision for the appointment of up to nine Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) was made in 1990.NMPs are appointed by the president for a term of two and a half years on the recommendation of a Select Committee chaired by the Speaker of Parliament and are not connected to any political parties. In 2005, nine NMPs were sworn in, out of which five were female. Both non-constituency and nominated members of parliament cannot vote on the following issues: amendment of the constitution public funds vote of no confidence in the government removing the president from office Law making Before any law is passed, it is first introduced in parliament as a draft known as a bill. Bills are usually introduced by a minister on behalf of the cabinet, known as Government Bill. However, any member of parliament can introduce a bill, known as a Private Member's Bill. All bills must go through three readings in parliament and receive the president's assent to become an Act of Parliament. Each bill goes through several stages before it becomes a law. The first stage is a mere formality known as the first reading, where it is introduced without a debate. This is followed by the second reading, where members of parliament debate on the general principles of the bill. If parliament opposes the bill, it may vote to reject the bill. If the bill goes through the second reading, the bill is sent to a Select Committee where every clause in the bill is examined. Members of parliament who support

the bill in principle but do not agree with certain clauses can propose amendments to those clauses at this stage. Following its report back to parliament, the bill will go through its third reading where only minor amendments will be allowed before it is passed. Most bills passed by parliament are scrutinised by the Presidential Council for Minority Rights which makes a report to the Speaker of Parliament stating whether there are clauses in a bill which affects any racial or religious community.If approved by the council, the bill will be presented for the president's assent. The last stage involves the granting of assent by the president, before the bill officially becomes to become a law.

Constitution

The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore and it is a codified constitution. The constitution cannot be amended without the support of more than two-thirds of the members of parliament on the second and third readings. The president may seek opinion on constitutional issues from a tribunal consisting of not less than three judges of the Supreme Court. Singaporean courts, like the courts in Australia, cannot offer advisory opinion on the constitutionality of laws. Part IV of the constitution guarantees the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. liberty of a person (limited). prohibition of slavery and forced labour protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials equal protection prohibition of banishment and freedom of movement freedom of speech, assembly and association (limited) freedom of religion (limited). right to education

Part XII of the constitution allows the Parliament of Singapore to enact legislation designed to stop or prevent subversion. Such legislation is valid even if it is inconsistent with Part IV of the constitution. The Internal Security Act (ISA) is a legislation under such provision. In 1966, Chia Thye Poh was detained under the ISA and was imprisoned for 23 years without trial.

President
Prior to 1991, the president was the head of state appointed by parliament and was largely a ceremonial role with some reserve powers. As a result of constitutional changes in 1991, the president is now directly elected to office for a six-year term by popular vote. The only directly-elected President since the constitutional change was Ong Teng Cheong, a former cabinet minister. He served as President from 1 September 1993 to 31 August 1999. Since then a presidential election has never taken place. After Ong Teng Cheong, the government-appointed Presidential Elections Committee has disqualified all but one candidate. This candidate is then declared President and is referred to as the elected president. The president now exercises powers over the following. appointment of public officers

government budgets examine government's exercise of its powers under the Internal Security Act examine government's exercise of its powers under religious harmony laws investigations into cases of corruption However, the president must consult the Council of Presidential Advisers before he takes a decision on some of these matters. The council comprises: two members appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister one member appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice one member appointed by the president on the advice of the chairman of the Public Service Commission A member of the council serves a six-year term and are eligible for re-appointment for further terms of four years each. Similar to the Speech from the Throne given by the heads of state in other parliamentary systems, the president delivers an address written by the government at the opening of parliament about what kind of policies to expect in the coming year. The current president is Sellapan Ramanathan, commonly referred to as S.R. Nathan.

Political Stability
Singapore receives a score of 1.33 for the factor "Political Stability" in the World Bank's Governance Indicators 2009, as compiled by Kaufmann, Kraay, and Mastruzzi. The governance estimates are normally distributed with a mean of zero, a higher score signifies a less violent and politically more stable society. According to the 2009 Country Commercial Guide of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Singapore has no history of politically motivated damage, and the environment is stable. The 2009 Background Note by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) reports that the Singaporean Constitution declares the country a parliamentary republic. The Prime Minister, currently Hsien Loong Lee, and the cabinet hold political authority. Prime Minister Lee leads the country's majority party. The role of Chief of State is played by the President, currently S.R. Nathan. Once an exclusively ceremonial office, the presidency's powers were expanded by Constitutional amendment in 1991, extending to legislative appointments, internal security, and government budgetary affairs. The unicameral parliament has 84 members who are elected by universal suffrage, along with as many as nine members who are nominated to their posts. These latter enjoy full parliamentary privileges but are not empowered to vote on government spending or constitutional matters. By Constitutional

provision, at least three members of parliament must represent the opposition, whether or not that many are elected. Parliamentary members are subject to fiveyear term limits. Nominated members serve terms of two and a half years. In the 2006 general elections, the People's Action Party (PAP), headed by Lee, took 82 of the elected parliamentary seats, leaving two for opposition party representatives. To fulfill the "minimum of three" rule, a third opposition party representative was seated as a nominated member. The PAP has enjoyed ruling party status in Singapore since 1959. The opposition holds one seat that is Constitutionally reserved to the opposition. However, both the ruling party and opposition parties share somewhat similar views to the mainstream.

Singapore Legal Environment

The Singapore legal system is a rich tapestry of laws, institutions, values, history and culture. Like the Singapore-made quilt, each strand of the legal system is woven together to form a jurisprudential kaleidoscope bounded by a unique national iden tity. The legal system will inevitably undergo tension as socio-economic and politico-legal changes unfold with increased globalisation and regionalisation. Thus, Singapore has to respond swiftly and deftly in creating new laws and institutions or adapting existing ones. In this regard, Singapore is and has been ready and willing to learn from the legal developments taking place in foreign jurisdictions with similar aspirations. Sometimes, old solutions may have to be discarded and new fangled ideas tested with appropriate modifications to suit local circumstances. In this process of the (sometimes) rigorous adaptation, learning and constant change, however, history remains a useful (though not infallible) guide for the present and the futur e path of Singapore law.

Common Law In Singapore

Common Law roots The Common Law is one important strand of the Singapore politico legal fabric. Singapore has inherited the English common law tradition and thus enjoys the attendant benefits of stability, certainty and internationalisation inherent in the British system (particularly in the commercial sphere). She shares similar English common law roots with some of her neighbours (such as India, Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar) though the details of the application and implementation will differ according to each countrys specific needs and policies.

Economic Environment
Singapore has a highly developed state capitalist mixed economy; the state owns stakes in firms that comprise perhaps 60% of the GDP through entities such as the sovereign wealth fund Temasek. It has an open business environment, relatively corruption-free and transparent, stable prices, and one of the highest per-capita gross domestic products (GDP) in the world. Its innovative yet steadfast form of economics that combines economic planning with free-market has given it the nickname the Singapore Model. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services provide the main source of revenue for the economy, which allows it to purchase natural resources and raw goods which it does not have. Most companies in Singapore are registered as private limited-liability companies (commonly known as "private limited companies"). A private limited company in Singapore is a separate legal entity, and shareholders are not liable for the company's debts beyond the amount of share capital they have contributed. Singapore could thus be said to rely on an extended concept of entrepot trade, by purchasing raw goods and refining them for re-export, such as in the wafer fabrication industry and oil refining. Singapore also has a strategic port which makes it more competitive than many of its neighbours in carrying out such entrepot activities. The Port of Singapore is the busiest in the world, surpassing Rotterdam and Hong Kong. In addition, Singapore's port infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to the success of the country's education policy in producing skilled workers, is also fundamental in this aspect as they provide easier access to markets for both importing and exporting, and also provide the skill(s) needed to refine imports into exports. On 14 February 2007, the Singapore government announced that economic growth for the whole year of 2006 was 7.9%, higher than the originally expected 7.7%. Singapore's unemployment rate is around 2.2% as of 20 February 2009.As of 8 August 2010, Singapore is the fastest growing economy in the world, with a growth rate of 17.9% for the first half of 2010.

Macro-economic trend
The government promotes high levels of savings and investment through a mandatory retirement savings scheme known as the Central Providen Fund, and large portions of its budget are expended in education and technology, with the former having a current rate as of 21% in 2001 compared to spending in the United States of 4%. However, the figures may be misleading as the majority of US education funding comes from the state level, not federal. It also owns Temasek-linked companies (TLCs, companies that are linked to the government's investment arm) - particularly in manufacturing - that operate as commercial entities and account for 60% of GDP. As Singapore looks to a future increasingly marked by globalization, the country is positioning itself as the region 's financial and high-tech centre in competition with other East Asian cities. Singapore's strategic location on major sea lanes and industrious population have given the country an economic importance in South-east Asia disproportionate to its small size. Upon separation from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore was faced with a lack of physical resources and a small domestic market. In response, the Singapore Government adopted a pro-business, pro-foreign investment , export-oriented economic policy combined with state-directed investments in strategic government-owned corporations. Whilst nominally

socialist in the 1960s, the ruling party increasingly became openly capitalist but selfdescribed itself as 'pragmatic', described by some as a euphemism for capitalism with authoritarian social controls. Singapore's government moved towards guiding the economy and investing in medicine and infrastructure.

Biotechnology
Singapore is aggressively promoting and developing its biotechnology industry. Hundred of millions of dollars were invested into the sector to build up infrastructure, fund research and development and to recruit top international scientists to Singapore. Leading drug makers, such as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer and Merck & Co., have set up plants in Singapore. On 8 June 2006, GSK announced that it is investing another S$300 million to build another plant to produce pediatric vaccines, its first such facility in Asia. Pharmaceuticals now account for more than 16% of the country's manufacturing production.

Trade Investment And Aid

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) continues to attract investment funds on a large-scale for the country despite the city's relatively high-cost operating environment. The U.S. leads in foreign investment, accounting for 40% of new commitments to the manufacturing sector in 2000. As of 1999, cumulative investment for manufacturing and services by American companies in Singapore reached approximately $20 billion (total assets). The bulk of U.S. investment is in electro nics manufacturing, oil refining and storage, and the chemical industry. More than 1,500 U.S. firms operate in Singapore. The government also has encouraged firms to invest outside Singapore, with the country's total direct investments abroad reaching $39 billion by the end of 1998. The People's Republic of China was the top destination, accounting for 14% of total overseas investments, followed by Malaysia (10%), Hong Kong (8.9%), Indonesia (8.0%) and U.S. (4.0%). The rapidly growing economy of India, especially the high technology sector, is becoming an expanding source of foreign investment for Singapore. The United States provides no bilateral aid to Singapore, but the U.S. appears keen to improve bilateral trade and signed the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. Singapore corporate tax is 18%. Due to strong Political and legal environment economy is stable and making more significant signs for long term business ventures.

Culture of Singapore
The culture of Singapore has evolved down the years since the island country itself represents a wonderful blend of cultures as diverse as Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European. Naturally, Singapore, which was once a fishing village under the British Empire, is a composite and cohesive portrait of various cultures. The most striking part of Singapore culture is its rich ethnic multiplicity that has

brought about a seamless diffusion in the way Singaporeans go about their everyday lives. As a result of the variegated backgrounds of Singaporeans, the country was originally divided into several ethnic areas such as Kampong Glam, Little India, and Chinatown. Now, however, these divisions no longer exist but traces of each individual culture remain in specific areas of Singapore. Singapore Religion Residents of Singapore practice a whole range of religions, depending on their background or individual choice. The Chinese population in Singapore has a good number of Buddhists, Christians, and Catholics. The Malay population is predominantly Muslim, while the Indians in Singapore are largely Hindus. There are also a number of free-thinkers/atheists in Singapore and the country does not propagate any official religion. However, the country does uphold the values and ethical standards of Confucianism. Singapore Food Known as one of the global food capitals, Singapore is legendary for the sheer diversity, richness, and creativity of its culinary scene. One of the main drivers behind the spurt in Singapore tourism is its popularity in terms of food. Some of the Singaporean dishes that have acquired a cult status are Bak kut teh, Nasi lemak, Satay, Hokkien mee, Laksa, and Rojak. Singapore food does not disappoint on the seafood front either. One can sample a mind-boggling array of dishes rustled up with oysters, squids, clams, crabs, stingrays, and almost every living aquatic creature! In terms of cuisine, Singapore offers Indian, Chinese, French, Thai, Spanish, Indonesian, and Italian, and Fusion food to its locals and the large number of tourists that visit Singapore each year. Singapore Language English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil are the official languages in Singapore, though English remains the most widely spoken since the various ethnic groups find it easier to communicate with each other in English. However, the dialect popularity known as 'Singlish' (a fascinating mix of English with dialects of Singapore thrown in for good measure) is being widely used in Singapore. Interestingly the colloquial English spoken in Singapore borrows heavily on Malay words! Singapore Tourist Attractions The Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoological Gardens, Singapore Crocodilarium, Night Safari, Insect Kingdom, Butterfly Park, National Museum, Air Force Museum, Mint Coin Gallery, Labrador Secret Tunnels, Stamps Gallery, Chinatown, Holland Village, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, Fort Canning Park, East Coast Park, Marina South City Park, and Mount Faber are only some of the hundreds of places that the Singapore Tourism Board has managed to popularize across the world due to its determined and concerted efforts. Singapore Music Singapore has always had a vibrant and exciting musical past. Singapore's folk music incorporates elements of Tamil, Chinese, and Malay sounds to produce a lovely amalgamation of sounds that is distinctly Singaporean!Special mention must be made of Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, which is Singapore's main arts centre. Esplanade is now home to Singapore classical music, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and several concerts that take place through the year. The culture of Singapore is one of the richest in the world - a fact that becomes

even more impressive and fascinating when one considers the recent history and small size of the country. The National Day Parade in Singapore encapsulates its entire culture and portrays the tremendous success that the nation has been able to attain, while retaining its essence.

Cultural Issues as obstacles of entry into Social Media

Pragmatic Singaporeans A possible explanation for Singapore companies' slow-moving progress in incorporating social media into their business models is that they are too concerned about profit margins and neglect intangibles like building relationships with potential customers. This could be attributed to an education system based on meritocracy. It could also be due to the small land mass, where everyone is in close proximity and businesses may have overlooked the bright opporutunity offered by the Internet and social media to expand their businesses beyond local shores. "Kiasuism" Another factor that could be affecting businesses in their adoption of social media is the fear of losing, which is a more prominent trait in Singaporeans as compared to any other country. Companies are all reluctant to take the big step forward, but choose to observing one another curiously and cautiously as they "test the water". Collectivistic Asians Collectivism is a culture that exists in all Asian countries including Singapore, where one prefers to act as a member of a group, community or organization. Thus without existing successful examples to follow, it is extremely difficult for companies to take their first step forward into social media. Critical Consumers As Singaporeans are known to be highly critical consumers, negative news in the blogosphere tend to attract more attention. This is ironic for businesses as it would mean that they have to generate negative media in order to capture Singaporeans' attention but yet, the greatest barrier that most companies need to overcome in using social media is the fear of receiving criticisms. Localised Content as a Passport Online content that is close to local culture, either by language (Singlish) or topic (e.g. Singaporean Food) is more generally preferred by Singaporean netizens. Such content strikes chords closer to the heart of locals and is unique to Singapore. This may, however, prove to be a possible obstacle for companies with business agendas wishing to engage the blogosphere. Ageing Population The high cost of living in Singapore has deterred many couples from having babies in the recent era, resulting in a fast ageing population. Hence, the absolute number of Internet users will be expected to decrease, despite the increasing proportions of Internet-savvy Singaporeans. However, such a phenomenon will compromise the size of audience in mainstream media as much as it affects social media. Therefore, it should not pose as a deterent for companies wanting to enter

the social media scene in Singapore.

Other Consideration
In spite of above issues, Singapore is a big business hub. For new comers it is suggested to keep eye on your target, dont compromise on quality of product, have strong marketing and sales team, and grip on the expense.

Question 1: What is trade protectionism, and why is an

understanding of it useful for managers.

Answer: Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade

between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to discourage imports and prevent foreign take-over of domestic markets and companies.