Economist.com Cities Guide: Singapore Briefing - July 2006

News this month

Earning from learning

Singapore is betting that expertise in cutting-edge technology is key for the city-state's economic growth. Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister, unveiled a S$2.4 billion ($1.5 billion) plan on July 7th to train local scientists and attract promising scholars from abroad. Of that sum S$1.4 billion will underwrite the cost of five years of research in biomedical sciences, water technologies and digital media, and the remainder will go to foreign researchers working with local institutions. “We are committed in Singapore to investing in R&D as a driver for economic growth and as the foundation for our long-term competitiveness,” Mr Lee said. The research plan was drawn up by the government-appointed Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council, which predicts the initiative could add 86,000 jobs and an extra S$30 billion to the economy by 2015.

Browned off

When Singapore's government singles someone out for criticism, trouble is rarely far behind. So it was for mr brown (sic), a regular commentator for the city-state’s Today newspaper, whose column was suspended after it was lambasted by a senior civil servant. On June 30th the paper published mr brown's satirical diatribe about the rising cost of living in Singapore, in which he complained that the prices of taxis, food and utilities are all rising despite a widening income gap. In a letter of reply, Krishnasamy Bhavani, the press secretary to the minister for information, said mr brown’s views “distort the truth”, adding, “Opinions which are widely circulated in a regular column in a serious newspaper should meet higher standards.”

Today ended the column on July 7th, without giving a reason. mr brown, whose online commentary on the recent election was immensely popular, posted a note on his website thanking well-wishers for their support, but did not explain his column's demise. Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns for press freedom around the world, concluded that Ms Bhavani’s letter read “like a warning to all journalists and bloggers in a country in which the media are already strictly controlled.”

Smoke signals

Singapore’s beleaguered smokers suffered another blow on July 1st, when a new regulation took effect that all but bans lighting up in 7,400 hawker centres, coffee shops and food outlets. Smoking is allowed only in special zones, which may account for up to one-fifth of the floor area. Those flouting the rules risk a S$200 fine.

This rule is only the latest in a remarkably zealous anti-smoking campaign. Smoking is already forbidden in air-conditioned restaurants, most shops and even at bus stops, and will be banned in bars from next year. Cigarettes in the city-state are highly taxed and much more expensive than in neighbouring states. Packets must also carry gruesome health warnings with disturbing photos, such as a cancerous throat or bleeding brain.

Massage parlous

Early July saw a crackdown on vice in the immense estates where most Singaporeans live and work. Officials announced new rules on June 24th that require all massages to be carried out in public view and all masseuses to be Singaporean, Malaysian or permanent residents. Apparently there were concerns about a mushrooming of local massage parlours, where patrons may be getting more than a backrub.

In the days after the new rules took effect, police engaged in spot checks, forcing 29 massage parlours to close down and arresting 77 foreign practitioners. The sweep, naturally, hasn’t pleased everyone. “My shop offers full body massage and I can’t expect my customers to be in full view of the public,” the owner of one establishment told a local paper. Others said business had plummeted by as much as 80% under the new, clean regime.

An (almost) Happy Birthday

Two recent events have thrown a spotlight on Changi Airport. On July 1st this gleaming improvement on what was once a distinctly unimpressive air-transport hub marked its 25th anniversary. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister after independence, who conceived Changi, gathered with hundreds of others for a hotel reception to celebrate the occasion.
But not everyone is feeling so festive. Some days before the party, two low-cost carriers, Jetstar Asia and Valuair, announced they had shelved plans to move their operations from a main Changi terminal to a new terminal dedicated to no-frills airlines. A customer survey found that Jetstar and Valuair users did not fancy the S$45m facility, which opened in March, so the airlines are staying put. (The two companies merged last year, but operate on different routes and retain separate brands.) “The customer must come first, so it’s Terminal 1 for us,” said Chong Phit Lian, the airlines' boss.

Catch if you can

July 2006

Womad at Fort Canning Park

August 25th-27th 2006

August looms, so Womad (World of Music and Dance) must be back. The globe-trotting festival, now in its ninth year, brings the usual impressive line-up, mixing well-known artists and musicians with the downright obscure. Among this year's stars is Jimmy Cliff, a Jamaican reggae great known for singing “The Harder They Come” and “Many Rivers to Cross”. A lesser-known highlight is Susana Baca (pictured), a Peruvian crooner.

Fort Canning Park. Tickets: S$35 for one evening, S$57 for two or S$84 for all three. Families can go for S$82. For tickets call Sistic on +65 6348 5555, or visit their website. There’s also a festival website.

More from the Singapore cultural calendar