IHC EOY

Exam Format
2 h 15 min
Section A (35m): SBQ with 5 sub-parts
Section B (15m): SEQ 5m and 10m
Section C (15m): SEQ 2 choose 1)
Exam Topics
Governance in Singapore
- System of Governance
- Role of the People
- How does the government work?
- Guiding principles of governance
Population Policy
- Family Planning from 1960s-1981
- The need to promote population growth from 1980s
- Methods to promote population growth after 1980s
- Preparing for an ageing population
Singapore Housing
- Solving housing crisis 1960s
- Maximize land use
- Build self-contained towns
- Encourage home ownership
- Promote social cohesion (bring different races together, meet needs of different income
groups and build sense of belonging in the community)
- Looking ahead (meet needs of singles, senior citizens and renewing older estates)
Managing Healthcare in Singapore
- Challenges government faces
- How is healthcare paid for?
How was healthcare managed in the 1960-1970s?
- How was healthcare managed since the 1980s?
o NHP 1983
o Self reliance (Medisave, Medishield)
o Keeping healthcare affordable
o Government subsidies
o Medifund
o Restructuring hospitals
o Means-testing
o Promoting healthy lifestyle
o Working with organisations
- Have Singapores healthcare policies met the needs of the people?
Conflict in Multi-Ethnic Societies
Sri Lanka
- Reasons for conflict:
o Citizenship rights
o Sinhala Only policy
o University admission criteria
o Resettlement
- Consequences of conflict:
o Political (Armed Conflict role of LTTE + Foreign intervention)
o Economic (unemployment, loss of investments, fall in tourist numbers)
o Social (Tamils driven out of homeland)
Northern Ireland
- Reasons for conflict:
o Divided loyalties
o Unequal allocation of housing
o Unequal employment opportunities
o Lack of voting rights
o Lack of opportunities for social interaction (education + residential)
- The Troubles
o Civil Rights March (Reasons, development, British intervention and
implications)
- Impact of the conflict:
o Social segregation
o Declining economy
o Political reform
- Resolution (peace agreement 1998)
Sustaining Economic Development in a Globalising World
Globalisation
- Key driving forces of globalization (transportation, communication and TNCs)
- Impact of globalization (positive and negative)
Economic (improvement in standard of living, increased
competition, talent, widening income gap)
Social (increased awareness, loss of local culture)
Environmental (degradation, deforestation, pollution, global warming
and environmental management)
Singapores Strategies to maximize opportunities and overcome challenges in a globalizing
world
o Diversifying the economy
o Nurturing SMEs
o Venturing abroad
o Expanding market reach through economic cooperation
Managing resources efficiently (human resource [local and foreign talents] + managing the
environment which has limited resources)













System of Governance
Singapore practices representative democracy, meaning that the people choose the leaders in
the government. An election is held every five years. During the election, the people will
decide whom they will vote for to represent them. The candidates with the most number of
votes in each constituency will serve as MPs. The leader of the political party with the most
MPs in the Parliament is invited by the President to become the PM. The PM will then form
the government to manage the country.

Role of the People
The people have the power and responsibility to choose the right leaders for Singapore.
When the government makes important decisions, it has to consider the needs and wants of
the people. Therefore, communication between the government and the people must be
open. This is done through REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry@Home) and the
media, Meet-The-People Sessions as well as email.

How does the government work?
1. Legislature
It consists of the President and MPs, and makes the laws of the country. Firstly, the minister
proposes and explains the reasons for a Bill. Then, the parliament debates on the bill. After
that, the Bill is passed to the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, which studies the Bill
to determine if it is disadvantageous to any racial or religious group. These laws help to
keep order in the society such as the prevention of crime. In this way, people can carry on
with their work and way of life with peace of mind.

2. Executive
It consists of the President and the Cabinet and executes laws made by Parliament. It
administers government policies through the Ministries and the Civil Service. The Ministers,
in consultation with the senior officers in the Civil Service, map out directions, goals and
broad strategies to carry out these policies. for example, the AVA in the MND ensures a
supply of safe and good quality food while the MEWRs health inspectors conduct regular
hygiene checks on food prepared at local factories and eating places.

3. Judiciary
It consists of the various judges and law courts. Ensures that laws are justly carried out and
laws passed do not breach the constitution.

Guiding Principles of Governance
The first principle is Leadership is Key. There must be honest and capable leaders to
manage the country. They must be able to do what is right and not what is popular with
the people. To do this, they must have the courage to face opposition from the people in the
short term. They have to be pragmatic and adopt practical solutions to the problems that
the country has. An example would be the COE and ERP in Singapore. Since 1980s,
government introduced policies to control private car ownership and charging motorists for
road usage. Many Singaporeans were unhappy because it was harder to own cars, but as a
result of the policies, Singapore does not suffer from traffic congestion all the time. This
shows that it is important that Singapore policy makers are practical in decision-making and
problem-solving. They have to bite the bullet and make unpopular decisions that could be
good for the people in the long run. Without good leaders, the problems will not be
effectively solved and resources may have been wasted in the process of solving these
problems. With good leadership, there will therefore be more resources available for other
aspects of development in the country. This will help in Singapores economic development.
Thus, the principle of leadership is key ensures good management of Singapores resources
to bring about economic development. Good governance is achieved in this process.

The second principle is Anticipate Change and Stay Relevant. Decisions made by the
government need to be forward-looking and meet Singapores future needs. An excellent
example is NEWater. Anticipating that Singapore may have difficulties renewing its water
agreements with Malaysia which end in 2011 and 2061, the government has found alternative
water supplies by producing NEWater and desalinated water. This is to ensure that
Singapore is self-sufficient and that future water needs of the country are met. The future
challenges are acute for a small city state like Singapore with minimal natural resources.
Therefore, good governance in decision making is premised on forward thinking. On this
score, the NEWater Project and the Integrated Resorts are examples of how Singapore
anticipates and solves future problems and remain sustainable and competitive, therefore
achieving good governance.

Another principle is Reward for Work and Work for Reward. Meritocracy plays a key part in
this principle. Meritocracy means a system that rewards hard work and talent. Such system
will ensure that people are rewarded based on their abilities and hard work. This gives
everybody in the society an equal opportunity to achieve their best and be rewarded
regardless of race, religion and socio-economic background. When people are rewarded for
their efforts, they feel happy and are therefore willing to contribute more towards the
progress of the country. The poor will also not feel left out. Thus, this principle enables the
government to recognise the efforts of the people. This encourages individuals to continue
to work hard so as to make the fullest contribution to the countrys development. This
promotes the development of Singapore. Thus, the principle of reward for work & work for
reward ensures good management of Singapores human resources to bring about economic
development, and good governance is achieved in the process.

The last principle is A Stake for everyone and opportunities for all. More opportunities have
been provided for the people to have a say in decision-making through a consultative
approach. This can be through feedback sessions where people are encouraged to give
constructive feedback to issues close to their hearts. In 2004, the government consulted the
people on the issue of having a casino as part of an Integrated Resort. During feedback
sessions, the people voiced their support and concerns about the proposal. This ensures that
the voices of the citizens are considered before a policy is made. This is particularly if the
policy is a controversial one such as the IRs. As a result, every citizen feels that their views
are valued, and this gives them a sense of ownership and belonging to Singapore, boosting
Singapores social cohesion. This leads to political and social harmony and stability, allowing
Singapore to progress and achieving good governance.

SEQ:
Explain how the principles of governance lead to good governance in Singapore.
In conclusion, these principles of governance ensure good governance in Singapore. For
example, Leadership is Key ensures that Singapores leaders are honest and capable and able
to make decisions by anticipating change and staying relevant. Singapores limited human
resources can be managed through Work for Reward and Reward for Work. Giving everyone
a stake in the decisions of the government also ensures that good policy decisions are made
to benefit Singapore. Therefore, these 4 principles of governance help ensure good
governance in Singapore.

Out of the 4 principles of governance, which one do you consider as the most important for
Singapore?
Is the principle abc the most important for Singapore?
There are four principles of good governance adopted by the Singapore government, and at
its heart is leadership. The other complementing principles include meritocracy, dynamism
and citizen consultation. The government makes decisions based on the principles of
governance. Without good leadership, no right policies can be made. Without good leaders
to decide on the IR for Singapore, competitors will catch up and our economy will suffer.
Despite the system of meritocracy and the desire to include everyone in our decision-
making, we also need the good leaders to make right decisions and hence they anticipate
and stay relevant. Thus in this regard, leadership and not (abc) is the most important
factor.

How far can the principle abc ensure good governance in Singapore?
In conclusion, the principle abc plays a role in ensuring good governance in Singapore.
However, it cannot fully ensure good governance in Singapore without other complementing
principles. For example, Leadership is Key ensures that Singapores leaders are honest and
capable and able to make decisions by anticipating change and staying relevant. Singapores
limited human resources can be managed through Work for Reward and Reward for Work.
Giving everyone a stake in the decisions of the government also ensures that good policy
decisions are made to benefit Singapore. Therefore, while the principle abc plays a pivotal
role in ensuring good governance in Singapore, good governance cannot be achieved without
any of the other principles of governance.

Family Planning from 1966-1981
There was a need for family planning from 1966-1981. At the end of World War 2, there was
a baby boom in Singapore as people felt more confident of the future after the war. More
children were also considered to be a security in old age. The population rose from 1.02
million in 1950 to 1.64 million in 1960. This rapid growth would represent many problems
for Singapore in terms of lack of educational facilities, housing, jobs and proper healthcare.
This would pose further problems for an already weak Singapore economy.

The Singapore Family Planning and Population Board was set up in 1966 and introduced
three 5 year plans to help control population growth in Singapore:
The first plan emphasised the need for smaller families and aimed to encourage couples to
change their mindsetand accept that having smaller families was more beneficial than giving
birth to so many children. The second plan encouraged married couples to stop at two
children. Once couples mindsets were tuned to having smaller families, the aim of the
second plan was to get them to accept the idea of having two children, regardless
of gender. The third plan aimed to maintain the replacement rate level at 2.1 children so as
to keep population figures in check. In addition, the government also encouraged
contraceptive use and legalised abortion. Punitive measures were also rolled out to
discourage couples from having more than two children, such as no paid maternity leave for
the third and subsequent children.

Need to boost population growth from the 1980s
1. Declining birth rates from the 1980s
By 1980, the fertility rate hit 1.82 children per woman due to the success of the
governments family planning measures. At the same time, over the years, women became
more educated and pursued their careers. Attitudes also changed over the time and couples
also preferred to pursue their careers instead, marrying later and choosing to either give
birth to one child or not have any children. As a result, less children were born and
Singapores birth rate declined. With Singapores declining birth rate, Singapores
development and defence needs would not be met, making it vulnerable to external
challenges. It was therefore important for the government to promote population growth
from the 1980s onwards.

2. Unattractive to MNCs
With a small population, Singapore would not be able to produce enough talented people to
sustain its economic development, making it unattractive to foreign investors and
Multinational Corporations (MNCs). It is also difficult and expensive to recruit local
Singaporeans as compared to larger and cheaper labour markets in other countries. As a
result, Singapore would not be able tosustain its economic development. Furthermore, its
small population size makes Singapore a small consumer market. It was therefore important
for the government to promote population growth from the 1980s onwards.

3. Ageing population
More resources will be required to meet the physical, health, social and emotional needs of
the senior citizens and more facilities catering to their needs will need to be built.
Volunteers and specialists to cater to these needs will need to be recruited and existing
facilities may need to be upgraded to make them elderly-friendly. Furthermore, with fewer
babies being born, there would be fewer young people in the workforce which would make
Singapore less attractive to investors as they might prefer to employ younger workers who
are considered more effective, efficient, productive and more up-to-date with skills and
training. As more older people retire, there would also be a shrinking talent pool. The
number of older people would be proportionately larger, which means that Singapore would
face an ageing population in the future. Furthermore, these older people would no longer be
contributing taxes or CPF which would affect the amount of revenue needed by Singapore
for its development. The smaller younger population would be burdened financially as more
resources would be needed to take care of the increasing number of senior citizens, putting
a strain on the countrys economic resources and reducing Singapores competitiveness. It
was therefore important for the government to promote population growth from the 1980s
onwards.

4. Defence
With a declining birth rate, there would be fewer young men to recruit for NS. This would
weaken Singapores defence force and make Singapore vulnerable to external threats and
reduce its defence capabilities. It was therefore important for the government to promote
population growth from the 1980s onwards.

SEQ:

Declining Birth Rate: Most important reason why population growth needs to be boosted in
Singapore because it is the root cause of all the problems as not having enough babies born
will lead to an ageing population and will also result in a future smaller workforce which
would be unattractive to MNCs and a future smaller defence force which would make
Singapore vulnerable to threats.

Very important because an ageing population will result in the country having to divert a lot
of resources to meet the needs of an ageing population. Furthermore, an ageing population
has repercussions on the rest of the countrys population as it becomes strained to support
the burden created by the financial needs of supporting an ageing population.

Important because Singapore is dependent on foreign investment for economic development.
However, Singapore has been relying on attracting foreign talent to meet the shortfalls of a
declining birth rate.

Important because less men serving the nation will make us vulnerable to threats from
external forces. However, advancements like Army 3G have allowed Singapore to meet its
defence needs despite the declining birth rate.

Methods to promote Population growth from the 1980s
1. Graduate Mothers Scheme
The Graduate Mothers Scheme was introduced in 1984 to encourage marriage and having
children among graduates as it was felt that the education level of the parents would have a
direct impact on the performance of their children in schools. However, the scheme was
unpopular as less educated people felt they they were discriminated against and would be
left out under the policy. The scheme was withdrawn after a year.

2. 3 or more if you can afford it
The government began to reverse the earlier policy against larger families and parents were
encouraged to have three children or more if they could afford it. To help relieve the
financial burden of having children, the government introduced measures such as allowing
the use of Medisave to pay for the delivery charges of the first three children and a $20,000
tax rebate was also offered for the fourth child born after 1 January 1988. Rebates were
given for the third child and amonthly subsidy to working mothers for each
of the first four children attending approved childcare centres to make raising children
more affordable. However, these methods are not very successful as the number of children
born per woman continued to decrease. Many newly married couples continued to have only
one or two children and a sizeable number of Singaporeans either married late and had no
children or chose to remain single.
3. Attracting FT
In order to enhance its competitiveness while awaiting for pro-family measures to show
positive results, the government began to attract foreign talent. In 1989, the immigration
policy was relaxed to attract foreign talent with skills that Singapore needed. Easier entry
into Singapore, subsidised housing and an attractive education package for children were
offered to foreign talent willing to work in Singapore. The government also hoped that
these foreigners would develop an attachment to Singapore and take up permanent
residence or citizenship. Foreign talent would not only boost the quality of manpower in
Singapore, but it would also create more jobs and increase productivity. This benefits
Singapore as Singapore society becomes more cosmopolitan and Singapores culture is
further enriched. Furthermore, each foreign talent and their family members who choose to
make Singapore their home is an immediate addition to Singapores population numbers.

4. Other Pro-Family Measures
To address the concerns of the high cost ofraising children and the lack of suitable
childcare arrangements, the government introduced equalised medical benefits where
mothers could also claim medical benefits for their children. A 5-day work week for the Civil
Service was also implemented to allow for better work-life balance.
An income tax relief of $3,000 (Grandparent Caregiver Relief) was given if a grandparent is
helping the couple take care of their child. Maternity leave was also extended from
eight weeks to twelve weeks. However, these methods are not very successful as the number
of children born per woman continued to decrease. Many newly married couples continued
to have only one or two children and a sizeable number of Singaporeans either married late
and had no children or chose to remain single.

SEQ:

Was not successful as less educated people felt discriminated against and felt that they
would be left out under the policy. Furthermore, the policy was scrapped after one year.

Not very successful as the number of children born per woman continued to decrease. Many
newlymarried couples continuedto have only one or two children and a sizeable number of
Singaporeans either married late and had no children or chose to remain single.

Not very successful as the number of children born per woman continued to decrease. Many
newly married couples continued to have only one or two children and a sizeable number of
Singaporeans either married late and had no children or chose toremain single.

More successful as foreigners and their families are a direct add on to thepopulation
numbers of Singapore.





Preparing for an ageing population
Impact of an Ageing Population
Economic Impact:
- With an ageing population, there will be fewer young people in the population to
maintain the workforce. Singapores workforce will thus become increasingly older
and in time to come many will retire.
- This will result in a less competitive workforce which may not be attractive to
investors keen to invest in Singapore.
- The economy will also be affected in terms of active economic contribution as the
retirees are no longer contributing to income tax and CPF.
- There will be a resulting strain on the young to maintain the ageing population.
Social Impact
- The number of older people will be proportionately larger. This means that the
country will have to allocate more budget to social services to maintain the ageing
population who will need more healthcare facilities.
- More resources like day care centres, old folks home, community hospitals and even
housing facilities like studio apartments and lifts on every level have to be built to
cater to the needs of the elderly.
- This will certainly increase the burden of the government who will need to reserve a
large proportion of the countrys budget to maintain the ageing population.

The strategies which are used to either PREPARE FOR or MEET the needs of an Ageing
Population in Singapore
Senior Citizens as an Asset to Society
- Changing of mind-set of the current society that old people are useless.
- Ensure that senior citizens remain contributing members to society by giving
opportunities to senior citizens to add value to public and private organisations and
help boost family life by contributing their valuable skills, knowledge, talent and
work experience.
LINK: This helps senior citizens to prepare for an ageing population because if they know
that there are opportunities created for them to be assets to society, they will take greater
personal responsibility in preparing themselves for old age so they may contribute positively
to society.
This also helps to meet their needs of an ageing population because it allows senior citizens
to feel useful and supplement the efforts of the family and the community to help them
cope with the challenges of ageing.



Many Helping Hands Individual or Personal Responsibility
- It is the responsibility of every individual to prepare himself for old age. Maintaining
a healthy lifestyle by watching ones diet and exercising regularly will assure one is
fit and healthy and this can help reduce ailments in old age and this can reduce
ones medical expenses.
- Singaporeans are also encouraged to learn about retirement planning by attending
talks and reading relevant materials on financial planning.
LINK: By being self-sufficient in meeting his financial and medical needs the individual
reduces the burden placed on the government to provide all the social and medical services
needed for an ageing population. This thus helps the government focus on other
developments of the country as well.
Many Helping Hands Family
- Family support also plays a part because strong and stable families bring about
social stability and harmony.
- The government has introduced measures like Senior Citizens Week where the
elderly are encouraged to stay active in the family and community.
- It also promotes a positive attitude towards ageing and the aged as it reminds
everyone in the family of their roles in creating an environment that is socially
conducive:
o Ensuring that the house is safe and has elderly-friendly facilities if possible
o Making the elderly feel appreciated by seeking their opinion and advice on
family issues
o giving them a part to play in the family
o providing financial support
o being patient and showing understanding towards their emotional and
physical needs
LINK: The family is also the main source of emotional, social and financial support for the
elderly individual. By taking care of elderly members of the family, the family helps to meet
the needs for an ageing population by reducing the burden on the government
Many Helping Hands Community
- Some community organisations offer free health checks and organise recreational
activities for senior citizens.
- Most of these organisations involve members of the community such as housewives,
students and retirees to help look after the needs of senior citizens to help them
remain physically, mentally and socially active
- School also involved
o Hwa Chong Institution CIP programme- Lion Befrienders visits
LINK: Community support is an effective way to meet the needs of an ageing population
because the community supplements the family support by offering individuals who have no
families, emotional and social support. Also, keeping them physically, mentally and socially
active will slow down their physical and mental deterioration and they will be able to
continue to thrive in this society.

Managing Helping Hands Government
- The government has made laws and introduced measures to protect the interests of
the Senior citizens.
- EXAMPLES (can choose two examples to support your answer)
o Central Provident Fund (CPF) scheme which ensures that part of a persons
income will be saved up. The savings in the Special Account are for
retirement, emergency and investment expenses while the money in
Medisave is to be used for medical expenses. At the age of 55, CPF members
can withdraw their savings with a minimum sum in the retirement account
and at the age of 62, they will receive a monthly sum from this account.
o Tax Relief are given to individuals who take care of their elderly parents,
grandparents or great-grandparents or contribute to their elderly
dependents CPF Retirement accounts. Tax reliefs are also given to
grandparents who take care of their grandchildren.
o Public Housing Scheme where first time HDB buyers are given a housing
grant if they buy a flat near their parents flat.
o Tribunal for the Maintenance of parents where parents who are above the
age of 60 and incapable of supporting themselves can get the courts help to
get their children to support them. (Sue their children. (Y))
LINK: Government support is the best way to prepare for an ageing population because it
anticipates the challenges of ageing and puts in place policies and measures to support the
individuals, families and community cope with the financial, emotional and social needs of an
ageing population.

Most important because the government engineers the necessary programmes necessary for
all the measures to meet the challenges of an ageing population. The government also
contributes the necessary financial support needed to help individuals, families and the
community meet the challenges of an ageing population.