How Economic Growth, Housing, and Defense Played a Role in Singapore' S Nation Building Process

Introduction

Nation-building is defined as the process of using the power of the state to form a common national identity (Smith, 2001). The Singapore Government enacted several tangible structures, including defense, housing, and economy, for the purpose of nation-building. These aspects are invaluable and were of well intention at the initial stages, but over time it can be argued that though they remain significant, they may hamper nation-building efforts due to the implications that arose.

Public Housing Policies

Public housing policies are significant in Singapore’s nation-building efforts to instill a sense of belonging and racial cohesiveness by encouraging mixed communities of varying ethnicities and easy attainability of housing for all income levels. This approach aims to defend the nation since one owns a stake in it (Chua, 1997). Quotas on the racial composition were imposed in a public housing (HDB) estate to prevent the formation of racial enclaves and promote multi-ethnic bonding. It is undeniable that housing policies are significant in nation-building efforts, as home ownership in Singapore is more than 90%, and the share of rental housing is very low (Phang, 2001). These state policies have been very important for social stability and building a sense of nationhood.

However, over time, due to lax immigration policies, there has been a spike in demand for public housing. Since public housing has supply trailing demand by nature due to Build to Order flats, which are only built 3-4 years after demand has been estimated through purchases by prospective homeowners, the prices of public housing have increased. Housing is operated on a free market basis with little intervention from the state itself, causing it to be unaffordable, especially for new families. In fact, according to statistics from the HDB, in 2008, it built only 3,183 new flats when the government welcomed over 90,000 permanent residents (PRs) and 20,000 new citizens in the same year (Housing & Development Board, 2009). According to statistics from HDB, the resale flat price index rose 28 percent from 155.0 (Q1 2010) to 198.5 (Q1 2014), signifying an increase in HDB prices (Housing & Development Board, 2014).

National Service (NS)

National Service (NS) is significant in nation-building as it forces conscripts from all walks of life to live with each other and share common experiences during their NS days, fostering a continued commitment to the defense of their common home (Tan, 2001) and pledging to protect it ‘with our lives’ (Singapore Ministry of Defence, 2013). The significance of NS has not lessened over time, as public support for NS remains strong. NSmen of all ages maintain a mainly positive view of NS, according to an IPS study held in 2013 (Institute of Policy Studies, 2013). NS is also viewed as an important trait of being Singaporean. For example, nearly 70% of Singaporeans polled in an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) survey said that having a male child who had completed NS is an important characteristic of being ‘Singaporean’ (Institute of Policy Studies, 2013).

However, despite the significance of NS, it has several shortcomings that, if not addressed, will hamper nation-building efforts. The systemic discrimination of Malays, who are kept from serving in areas of the military considered sensitive (e.g., Signal units) (Ali, 2004) and experience slower promotion compared to their Chinese counterparts, with the first non-Chinese officer reaching flag rank only in 2004 (Huxley, 2000). This is contrary to the original intention of NS being a key pillar of nation-building by bringing everybody of different ethnicities and backgrounds together, as it deliberately discriminates against the minority race. This contributes to a continued perception of second-class status among the ethnic Malay population, which further worsens the divide between the Malays and the rest of the population, potentially raising racial tensions that hinder nation-building and threaten to tear apart the racial harmony efforts made by the state. The segregation of recruits by their education level, which affects their military prospects as eligibility for leadership positions via training under command schools is determined by one’s education level over one’s military capabilities, defeats the purpose of bringing everyone from all walks of life with an equal opportunity to succeed and take ownership of the nation. In return, the less privileged and educated will perceive themselves to be inferior to the educated, and may even lead to resentment of their would-be superiors, which will cause disunity between social classes, tearing the social fabric apart.

Economic Growth

Economic growth was significant in nation-building as it ensured the survival of the newly-independent Republic and served as the infrastructural basis for the eventual construction of a nation (Lai, 1995), forming the primary national identity before other tools. However, the relentless pursuit of economic growth was not without its negative implications. The government adopted liberal immigration policies to attract ‘foreign talent’, encouraging foreign investment by actively wooing GLCs and foreign companies to set up here, which led to an influx of foreigners, crowding out the employment market as they could accept lower salaries which are attractive to employers. Due to this, some citizens feel that they are no longer lords of their own nation as the nation itself is being increasingly “taken over by foreigners," and the Government governs more for the benefit of foreign capital and talent than it does for the local equivalent (Tan, 2008). The loss of a sense of ownership of the nation, and the widening of the income gap that follows, goes against the goal of nation-building, as people are divided and not brought together by the prosperity that came from economic growth, and national identity is diluted as a result. This is further exacerbated by the fact that traditional neighborhoods, familiar buildings, cemeteries, and other social landmarks, and even green space are eliminated to make room for rich foreigners, further contributing to a sense of dislocation and loss of identity (Yeoh, 2003). By actively courting foreign investment into Singapore, there is a risk of Singapore becoming a transient state, with foreigners coming into Singapore with the sole intention of making money and having no desire to be part of the nation itself, which fosters the notion of Singapore being merely a stepping stone and not a home in which one has a stake. Since the national identity is formed primarily on economic progress, it is transient and does not foster a sense of belonging, should one decide to leave Singapore for greener pastures.

Conclusion

In conclusion, defense, economic growth, and housing are still significant in the nation-building process, but if left unchecked, they will hinder nation-building efforts due to the negative implications they bring despite the good intentions the Government had initially. The Government has already acknowledged these issues and tackled several of them. Examples include token appreciation of Malays in the armed forces, having the first Malay brigadier-general in 2009, marking a significant milestone in Malay integration in the military (Chua, 2009); introducing various cooling measures in the housing market in a bid to lower housing prices and curbs in foreign quota (Housing & Development Board, 2015) to lower dependence on foreign talent.

References

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