IPS Update Issue May 2023

On 10 May 2023, Tote Board, the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (LKYCIC) and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) launched the Future-Ready Society Impact Fund. At the launch, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam shared his views on how Singapore can work towards enhancing social resilience and future-readiness of the community. The dialogue was moderated by Professor Chan Heng Chee from LKYCIC.

Tote Board, LKYCIC and IPS also shared more about opportunities for collaboration and action. Dr Justin Lee (Senior Research Fellow and Head of Policy Lab, IPS), Dr Harvey Neo (Senior Fellow, LKYCIC) and Ms Tan Su-Yin (Senior Director of Grants Division, Tote Board) spoke about the new “Future-Ready Society Impact Fund”, futures-oriented research, and how the community can participate in projects in the pipeline as well as the newly-started action fellowships.

Commentary — Three balancing acts for Singapore society as leadership transition looms
(CNA)
By Gillian Koh
• 6-min read

In this op-ed for CNA, IPS' Gillian Koh analyses President Halimah Yacob's address at the opening of Parliament. 

She identifies three "balancing acts" in the President's speech amidst the changing world order. She elaborates on the give-and-take that the government and Singapore society must adhere to, to ensure social stability.

Commentary — Malay/Muslim Families Living in Public Rental Flats — Evolving A Self-Sufficient Community
(IPS Commons)
By Shamsuri Juhari and Jeanne Tan
• 6-min read

In response to the announcement that Project Dian@M3 will be expanded to provide more support for Malay/Muslim families living in public rental flats, IPS' Shamsuri Juhari and Jeanne Tan opine that it is also important to understand how to involve the community itself to mobilise resources and support one another.

Commentary — To protect our health, protect our planet
(The Straits Times)
By Tommy Koh
• 6-min read

In this op-ed for The Straits Times, Special Adviser to IPS, Prof Tommy Koh, commemorates Earth Day by reflecting on the pressing need for conservation and better stewardship of the planet’s resources. 

Some points he raises include the preservation of nature for medicine, as well as the importance of biodiversity in maintaining the planet’s ecosystem.

Commentary — Capturing the community spirit of the Ramadan bazaar
(CNA)
By Faizal Yahya and Shamsuri Juhari
• 5-min read

It was reported that rental charges for the Geylang  Ramadan Bazaar range from S$2,000 for retail to more than S$19,000 for F&B outlets, while those selling kebabs were charged a base rental of S$25,000.

In this piece for CNA, IPS' Faizal Yahya and Shamsuri Juhari argue that the revenue-driven aspect of festive bazaars should be balanced with social and cultural aspects to celebrate the diversity of Singapore’s society.

Commentary — Singapore may not be able to outbid the big players, but it has its own ‘secret recipe’
(CNA)
By Gillian Koh
• 5-min read

In his keynote speech at NTUC Singapore's May Day Rally, DPM Lawrence Wong emphasised the PAP’s commitment to the union movement.

IPS’ Gillian Koh responds to his speech, writing about the value of Singapore’s tripartite labour partnership among the government, employers and employees. She highlights how this tripartite effort is key in areas such as upskilling programmes and policies that prioritise local workers.

Commentary — Retooling Resilience
(IPS Commons)
By Shashi Jayakumar
• 9-min read

In this essay, RSIS’ Shashi Jayakumar reflects on the tumultuous geopolitical global landscape we are currently experiencing. In particular, he looks at the deepening of faultlines in Singapore that these events have caused, such as through political polarisation and nationalistic appeals from overseas. 

He concludes the piece with some suggestions to bridge these divides in the country.

IPS Exchange Series No. 25 — Asia Voices: Perspectives on Tax Policy Seminar 1 Proceedings

The Governance & Economy Department of the IPS held its inaugural “Asia Voices: Perspectives on Tax Policy” seminar on 7 December 2022. The online event focused on the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) plan and the impacts of Global Anti-Base Erosion Model Rules (GloBE or BEPS Pillar Two) on Asia. The paper presentations, panel discussions, and the IPS Working Group’s commentary on the issues discussed are documented in this seminar proceeding.

IPS Working Paper No. 50 — Satisfaction with Government’s Handling of COVID-19 in Singapore

In this working paper, Dr Mathew Mathews, Dr Mike Hou, and Wynn Tan reviewed Singaporeans’ satisfaction with the government’s COVID-19 pandemic management across multiple domains. The researchers investigated perceptions of Singapore’s pandemic response in comparison with other countries and regions, and the role of government satisfaction in predicting these perceptions. 

Results revealed that important shared values such as harmony and care positively predicted increased satisfaction with the government’s pandemic management. Notably, researchers further discussed the significance of these findings and how they shed light on a uniquely Singaporean model of responding to a national crisis.