Singapore - The Little Red Dot

During the spring break, I paid a visit to Singapore with my family. The country is quite dear to us all as we spent five years there between 2012 and 2017. Unfortunately, as I was quite

young at the time, I wasn’t able to appreciate many aspects of the country the way I can now. However, now that I am significantly older, I was stunned to see just how developed this little country actually was. 

After doing a little research, I found out about how the island of Singapore had been colonised by the British, under the lead of Sir Stamford Raffles. The British used the island as a trading port for a variety of different goods, some of these included tin and rubber which were required in large quantities in western countries. After 1965, times were tough in Singapore. Under the lead of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore was able to gain independence from Malaysia and the British which meant that they were their own sovereign nation. However, Lee Kuan Yew worked hard to create a country which could replicate the positives of a western country while eliminating any negatives. Singapore capitalised on its location and has become one of the world’s busiest trading ports. Great planning and visionary thinking has led to it being an extremely stable economy that continues to thrive. It is a leader in manufacturing tech and machinery, financial services and also tourism. 

Singapore is a completely digitised country - even at the immigration counter we just went through passport reading machines. Changi airport in Singapore has won several awards for being one of the most efficient in the world. The Singaporian roads are outstandingly

smooth, a quality which is lacking in a lot of Asian nations. Additionally, they have made use of their technological advancements to develop buildings and infrastructure which is very sustainable and safe. The fact that Singapore is a small nation actually plays in its favour as fewer people and smaller distances allow for greater efficiency - say, compared to a giant like India. 

The Singaporean nation is also very focused on achieving SDG goals and creating an altogether sustainable city for people to live in. For example, the nation is on track to achieve several SDG goals, including Climate Action, Clean Water and Sanitation and Responsible Consumption and Production. Singapore is one of the very few countries to harvest rainwater and recycle waste water which demonstrates their commitment to a sustainable future.

Singapore can be said to be small, but perfectly formed. As a tourist this time, I loved the food, was intrigued by its multiculturalism, enjoyed the “Singlish”, had fun at the beach and at Universal studios, and visited the cultural hubs and important streets. My parents still have lots of friends in Singapore, so we felt very much at home meeting old friends and seeing our old home. 

My trip to Singapore was nostalgic, but it also made me appreciate the country for all it accomplished which is something which I could not wrap my head around at age 6. There was clearly a diverse cultural landscape in the country which was demonstrated by the food we ate and the languages we heard spoken. The feeling which the country gives to newcomers is inviting. That is embodied by the kindness of the locals and their willingness to provide aid to anyone in need - it makes the country feel like one tight-knit community. It is amazing to think about how one small island who only established themselves as a country in 1965 can create a country that rivals the western nations in its lifestyle, infrastructure and economy.