This Governance Explainer surveys what “good governance” means and the key dimensions associated with it such as government effectiveness, rule of law, transparency, accountability. It also looks at major governance indices used.

This Governance Explainer explains how data sharing boosts policymaking, service delivery and resilience but depends on strong security.

Geopolitical disputes frequently trigger retaliatory trade measures and shift economic ties. These conflicts can also inflame public sentiment, leading to consumer boycotts against products from the opposing nation. This was the case during the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands territorial dispute over eight small islands in the East China Sea in 2010-2012 between the People’s Republic of China and Japan. Tensions reached a tipping point on 7 September 2010 when a Chinese trawler collided with two Japanese Coast Guard vessels. This set off a cold war of trade, diplomatic sanctions and protests that left an imprint on the economies of both countries, the global market and the geopolitics of East Asian states.

This case study seeks to move beyond a theoretical discussion of digital integration to examine the practical mechanics of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). Specifically, it aims to: examine the core elements and guiding principles that constitute the DEFA framework and its regulatory architecture; analyse the agreement’s role as a strategic catalyst for enhancing trade efficiency, interoperability and regional competitiveness; evaluate the structural, regulatory and geopolitical challenges impeding effective implementation, illustrated through specific case examples; and assess the future outlook and critical watchpoints for ASEAN policymakers as the region moves from negotiation to domestication.

In 2025, Singapore gave every household S$800 in Community Development Council Vouchers, boosting both purchasing power and heartland businesses in one move. Community Development Council Vouchers, along with GST Vouchers, U-Save rebates, Climate Vouchers, LifeSG Credits and more, were part of Singapore’s distinctive system of broad-based cash and voucher transfers. This case study examines these transfers as instruments for managing cost-of-living pressures, reinforcing social solidarity and shaping citizen behaviour. It situates the system within Singapore’s political economy and philosophy of selective universalism rather than Universal Basic Income, and explores questions of sustainability, administrative feasibility and replication in other countries.

Singapore’s MRT system has undergone repeated institutional reforms to balance reliability, affordability and financial sustainability. This case traces Singapore’s shift from a government-built rail system to the privatisation and public listing of SMRT, and subsequently to the re-nationalisation of rail assets under the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF). While privatisation initially improved financial performance, it also created misaligned incentives that contributed to underinvestment in maintenance and major service disruptions. The NRFF sought to address these failures by returning asset ownership and lifecycle risk to the state, allowing operators to focus on operations. A comparison with Hong Kong’s “Rail plus Property” model highlights alternative approaches to aligning incentives and accountability, even as Singapore continues to face trade-offs between reliability, cost and public subsidy.

The Singapore government has invested in adult education and training to build a skilled workforce since Singapore’s independence. It built up the Continuing Education and Training (CET) system with the launch of new institutions, frameworks and programmes. The launch of SkillsFuture in 2015 marked a new phase of investment in lifelong learning. SkillsFuture plays a central role in enabling a competitive economy and good jobs. This case study outlines milestones in the development of the CET ecosystem, examines the motivation for SkillsFuture, and reviews key SkillsFuture initiatives. This facilitates an assessment of the SkillsFuture movement, and what more must be done to address the skills and workforce challenges that lie ahead.