Critical Issues in Asset Building in Singapore's Development

Singapore's progress as an independent nation and the uplifting of its people's livelihood have been made possible by stable social and political conditions. A more important factor in driving these positive changes lies with people-centric leadership. One can contrast the case of Singapore with societies led by self-serving leaders whose lack of honesty and integrity brings about immense social and economic hardships to various communities. When people suffer under undesirable circumstances, they often migrate to seek better future for themselves and their families.

This book reveals how Singapore's governance grounded on the principle of asset building facilitates the country's growth and development. Policies being discussed in this volume include multi-culturalism, accessible housing, social mobility for low-income families, water resource management, and national conscription.

Highly relevant for students, policy makers and the general public interested in socio-political and economic development issues, this unique piece of work not only gives readers a documentary account of what has been undertaken to empower and assist citizens in the last 50 years or so, but also prompts them to reflect on Singapore's future trajectory.

Contents:

• About the Contributors
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Abbreviations
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction (S Vasoo and Bilveer Singh)
• Challenges in Asset Building in Singapore (Michael Sherraden)
• Investments for Social Sector to Tackle Some Key Social Issues (S Vasoo)
• Singapore's Multiculturalism: An Asset for Nation Building (Norshahril Saat)
• Political Innovations and Stabilisers as Strategic Assets in Singapore (Bilveer Singh)
• Housing as Asset Building in Singapore (Hongbo Jia and S Vasoo)
• Asset-Building Challenges with Low-Income Families (Irene Y H Ng)
• Water Policies as Assets (Yishu Zhou and Ching Leong)
• Conscription and Its Contribution to Singapore (Bernard F W Loo)
• Conclusion (S Vasoo and Bilveer Singh)
• Select Bibliography
• Index

Readership: Students, policy makers and the general public interested in socio-political and economic development issues, in particular to the Singapore context.
Key Features:

• Provides a critical analysis of issues relating to development in Singapore as well as the country's governing approach and philosophy
• Offers a unique framework in examining the social aspects for development rather than focusing on conventional economic perspectives and approaches, especially when most literature tends to ignore the social investment factors
• Presents a "record" in various sectors of Singapore on how and why asset building has taken place and how this has advantaged Singaporeans in various areas and assisted in nation building, bonding citizens to citizens and even citizens to the government