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Dubious distinctions for Singapore
- Thread starter LITTLEREDDOT
- Start date
Is this dubious enough for singkies?
#7
Singapore is more attractive to foreign talent than to citizens themselves.
More attractive => foreign talent trying to come in with fake credentials, FTs coming in and not respecting local laws.
Singapore is 8th most attractive country to relocate to for work: Survey
Singapore jumped to eighth place, from 24th in 2014.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Sue-Ann Tan
MAR 17, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore is the eighth most attractive country to relocate to for work - the first time it has broken into the top 10 in a global study that started in 2014.
But the report also noted on Wednesday (March 17) that fewer Singaporeans desire to work abroad.
The study, which polled around 208,800 respondents across 190 countries, found that the pandemic has changed people's views on the top work destinations as virus containment measures become a priority.
Singapore jumped to eighth place, from 24th in 2014. Canada topped the list, followed by the United States, Australia, Germany and Britain.
"When it comes to employee relocation, several Asia-Pacific countries, such as Singapore and New Zealand, have become the preferred choices of talent in 2020," said the report compiled by online employment marketplace Seek Asia, The Network and Boston Consulting Group.
"This is likely due to the countries' management of Covid-19, which have largely registered low mortality rates and kept infection cases in check."
Since the fourth quarter of last year, there has been an average growth of 28 per cent in job openings across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam compared with the second quarter of last year, according to JobStreet, of which Seek Asia is the parent company.
Besides good pandemic management, Singapore's competitiveness is also a selling point for talent, the report said.
"Other than robust international trade and investment, Singapore's digital infrastructure, national stability and culture of innovation also inspire confidence," it added.
The report noted that professionals, managers, executives and technicians from China, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Switzerland, for instance, are keen to come to Singapore to work as the standard of living here is comparable with their home countries.
OCBC Bank head of treasury research and strategy Selena Ling said: "Singapore has had good containment of coronavirus cases, excellent healthcare facilities and free vaccination.
"But a downside could be the perceived tightening of foreign manpower restrictions."
Seek Asia chief executive Peter Bithos said the pandemic has also created a new kind of "virtual mobility", where staff can work remotely from a different country.
Around 57 per cent of respondents said they were willing to work remotely for an employer that does not have a physical presence in their home country.
"For hirers who are struggling to fill job openings, the time is ripe to warm up to the option of offering virtual employment, so as to attract competent and suitable talent," said Mr Bithos.
This trend also goes in tandem with a sharp decline in the willingness of job seekers to physically work abroad.
This is because of restrictions and uncertainty due to the pandemic and the emergence of virtual work where it becomes less necessary to move overseas to find jobs, the report said.
The emergence of nationalistic politics and tighter immigration regulations in key economies such as Britain and the US are also factors, it added.
Only 44 per cent of Singaporean respondents now want to work abroad, compared with 79 per cent in 2014.
Ms Ling said: "This may not be a long-term trend. It depends on when borders reopen and when vaccination passports gain traction. There are also policies encouraging local firms and workers to internationalise and gain international exposure."
Australia still remains the preferred work destination for Singaporeans, followed by China, Taiwan and New Zealand, the report found.
Singapore is more attractive to foreign talent than to citizens themselves.
More attractive => foreign talent trying to come in with fake credentials, FTs coming in and not respecting local laws.
Singapore is 8th most attractive country to relocate to for work: Survey
Singapore jumped to eighth place, from 24th in 2014.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Sue-Ann Tan
MAR 17, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore is the eighth most attractive country to relocate to for work - the first time it has broken into the top 10 in a global study that started in 2014.
But the report also noted on Wednesday (March 17) that fewer Singaporeans desire to work abroad.
The study, which polled around 208,800 respondents across 190 countries, found that the pandemic has changed people's views on the top work destinations as virus containment measures become a priority.
Singapore jumped to eighth place, from 24th in 2014. Canada topped the list, followed by the United States, Australia, Germany and Britain.
"When it comes to employee relocation, several Asia-Pacific countries, such as Singapore and New Zealand, have become the preferred choices of talent in 2020," said the report compiled by online employment marketplace Seek Asia, The Network and Boston Consulting Group.
"This is likely due to the countries' management of Covid-19, which have largely registered low mortality rates and kept infection cases in check."
Since the fourth quarter of last year, there has been an average growth of 28 per cent in job openings across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam compared with the second quarter of last year, according to JobStreet, of which Seek Asia is the parent company.
Besides good pandemic management, Singapore's competitiveness is also a selling point for talent, the report said.
"Other than robust international trade and investment, Singapore's digital infrastructure, national stability and culture of innovation also inspire confidence," it added.
The report noted that professionals, managers, executives and technicians from China, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Switzerland, for instance, are keen to come to Singapore to work as the standard of living here is comparable with their home countries.
OCBC Bank head of treasury research and strategy Selena Ling said: "Singapore has had good containment of coronavirus cases, excellent healthcare facilities and free vaccination.
"But a downside could be the perceived tightening of foreign manpower restrictions."
Seek Asia chief executive Peter Bithos said the pandemic has also created a new kind of "virtual mobility", where staff can work remotely from a different country.
Around 57 per cent of respondents said they were willing to work remotely for an employer that does not have a physical presence in their home country.
"For hirers who are struggling to fill job openings, the time is ripe to warm up to the option of offering virtual employment, so as to attract competent and suitable talent," said Mr Bithos.
This trend also goes in tandem with a sharp decline in the willingness of job seekers to physically work abroad.
This is because of restrictions and uncertainty due to the pandemic and the emergence of virtual work where it becomes less necessary to move overseas to find jobs, the report said.
The emergence of nationalistic politics and tighter immigration regulations in key economies such as Britain and the US are also factors, it added.
Only 44 per cent of Singaporean respondents now want to work abroad, compared with 79 per cent in 2014.
Ms Ling said: "This may not be a long-term trend. It depends on when borders reopen and when vaccination passports gain traction. There are also policies encouraging local firms and workers to internationalise and gain international exposure."
Australia still remains the preferred work destination for Singaporeans, followed by China, Taiwan and New Zealand, the report found.
Last edited:
#7
Singapore is more attractive to foreign talent than to citizens themselves.
More attractive => foreign talent trying to come in with fake credentials, FTs coming in and not respecting local laws.
Singapore is 8th most attractive country to relocate to for work: Survey
Singapore jumped to eighth place, from 24th in 2014.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Sue-Ann Tan
MAR 17, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore is the eighth most attractive country to relocate to for work - the first time it has broken into the top 10 in a global study that started in 2014.
But the report also noted on Wednesday (March 17) that fewer Singaporeans desire to work abroad.
The study, which polled around 208,800 respondents across 190 countries, found that the pandemic has changed people's views on the top work destinations as virus containment measures become a priority.
Singapore jumped to eighth place, from 24th in 2014. Canada topped the list, followed by the United States, Australia, Germany and Britain.
"When it comes to employee relocation, several Asia-Pacific countries, such as Singapore and New Zealand, have become the preferred choices of talent in 2020," said the report compiled by online employment marketplace Seek Asia, The Network and Boston Consulting Group.
"This is likely due to the countries' management of Covid-19, which have largely registered low mortality rates and kept infection cases in check."
Since the fourth quarter of last year, there has been an average growth of 28 per cent in job openings across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam compared with the second quarter of last year, according to JobStreet, of which Seek Asia is the parent company.
Besides good pandemic management, Singapore's competitiveness is also a selling point for talent, the report said.
"Other than robust international trade and investment, Singapore's digital infrastructure, national stability and culture of innovation also inspire confidence," it added.
The report noted that professionals, managers, executives and technicians from China, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Switzerland, for instance, are keen to come to Singapore to work as the standard of living here is comparable with their home countries.
OCBC Bank head of treasury research and strategy Selena Ling said: "Singapore has had good containment of coronavirus cases, excellent healthcare facilities and free vaccination.
"But a downside could be the perceived tightening of foreign manpower restrictions."
Seek Asia chief executive Peter Bithos said the pandemic has also created a new kind of "virtual mobility", where staff can work remotely from a different country.
Around 57 per cent of respondents said they were willing to work remotely for an employer that does not have a physical presence in their home country.
"For hirers who are struggling to fill job openings, the time is ripe to warm up to the option of offering virtual employment, so as to attract competent and suitable talent," said Mr Bithos.
This trend also goes in tandem with a sharp decline in the willingness of job seekers to physically work abroad.
This is because of restrictions and uncertainty due to the pandemic and the emergence of virtual work where it becomes less necessary to move overseas to find jobs, the report said.
The emergence of nationalistic politics and tighter immigration regulations in key economies such as Britain and the US are also factors, it added.
Only 44 per cent of Singaporean respondents now want to work abroad, compared with 79 per cent in 2014.
Ms Ling said: "This may not be a long-term trend. It depends on when borders reopen and when vaccination passports gain traction. There are also policies encouraging local firms and workers to internationalise and gain international exposure."
Australia still remains the preferred work destination for Singaporeans, followed by China, Taiwan and New Zealand, the report found.
singapore is a good place to work (for foreigners and expats) they can convert the currency double or tripple back home and can retire
but singapore is not a good place to live because it is too expensive and overcrowded too.
i left singapore and now i feel like a human being everyday is blessing
#8
What is the point of having such a powerful passport?
Only makes it more attractive for FT from India and China to come to Singapore.
S'pore passport remains 2nd most powerful in the world, behind Japan
S
ingapore remains in second place with access to 192 destinations.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Ang Qing
Apr 14, 2021
SINGAPORE - Japan continues to outstrip Singapore as the world's most powerful passport in a new update to a global index.
It noted that Japanese passport holders can travel without a prior visa to a record 193 destinations, up from 191 in the first quarter of this year.
Singapore remains in second place with access to 192 destinations, compared with 190 places reported in January.
South Korea and Germany remain in third with 191 destinations.
The index by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners ranks passport power according to how many destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa and is updated throughout the year.
While it does not account for temporary Covid-19 travel restrictions, it indicates what post-pandemic travel freedom might look like as countries selectively begin to open their borders to international visitors, Henley & Partners said.
The first-place tie shared by Japan and Singapore in 2019 was broken last year when Japan gained easier access to Saudi Arabia.
Henley & Partners also noted that the gap in travel freedom is at its widest since the index began in 2006, with Japanese passport holders able to visit 167 more destinations than citizens of Afghanistan, who can travel to only 26 nations worldwide without acquiring a visa in advance.
Britain and the United States continue to face eroding passport strength since they held the top spot in 2014 and are now at seventh place with a score of 187.
While there has been very little movement in the index over the past five quarters since the outbreak of Covid-19, China became one of the biggest climbers for the first time in the past decade in the latest update.
It has risen from 90th position with a score of 40 in 2011 to 68th place and a score of 77.
Henley & Partners chairman Christian Kaelin said: "While nobody expects a return to pre-pandemic mobility levels anytime soon, the outlook now is certainly more hopeful than it was even a few months ago.
What is the point of having such a powerful passport?
Only makes it more attractive for FT from India and China to come to Singapore.
S'pore passport remains 2nd most powerful in the world, behind Japan
ingapore remains in second place with access to 192 destinations.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Ang Qing
Apr 14, 2021
SINGAPORE - Japan continues to outstrip Singapore as the world's most powerful passport in a new update to a global index.
It noted that Japanese passport holders can travel without a prior visa to a record 193 destinations, up from 191 in the first quarter of this year.
Singapore remains in second place with access to 192 destinations, compared with 190 places reported in January.
South Korea and Germany remain in third with 191 destinations.
The index by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners ranks passport power according to how many destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa and is updated throughout the year.
While it does not account for temporary Covid-19 travel restrictions, it indicates what post-pandemic travel freedom might look like as countries selectively begin to open their borders to international visitors, Henley & Partners said.
The first-place tie shared by Japan and Singapore in 2019 was broken last year when Japan gained easier access to Saudi Arabia.
Henley & Partners also noted that the gap in travel freedom is at its widest since the index began in 2006, with Japanese passport holders able to visit 167 more destinations than citizens of Afghanistan, who can travel to only 26 nations worldwide without acquiring a visa in advance.
Britain and the United States continue to face eroding passport strength since they held the top spot in 2014 and are now at seventh place with a score of 187.
While there has been very little movement in the index over the past five quarters since the outbreak of Covid-19, China became one of the biggest climbers for the first time in the past decade in the latest update.
It has risen from 90th position with a score of 40 in 2011 to 68th place and a score of 77.
Henley & Partners chairman Christian Kaelin said: "While nobody expects a return to pre-pandemic mobility levels anytime soon, the outlook now is certainly more hopeful than it was even a few months ago.
Not powerful anymore
Now covid passport is the only one that’s power
Now covid passport is the only one that’s power
Singapore is ranked 160th in 2021 World Press Freedom Index.
A drop of 2 places.
Singapore is ranked lower than Sudan (159), Rwanda (156), Turkey (153), Honduras (151), Russian (150), Myanmar (140), Thailand (137), Afghanistan (122), Nicaragua (121), Lebanon (107), Haiti (87), Timor Leste (71), Mongolia (68).
An alternative way to curtail press freedom
Singapore has been coloured black on the World Press Freedom Index map since 2020, meaning the situation there is now is classified as “very bad”. Despite the “Switzerland of the East” label often used in government propaganda, the city-state does not fall far short of China when it comes to suppressing media freedom. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s government is always quick to sue critical journalists, apply pressure to make them unemployable, or even force them to leave the country. The Media Development Authority has the power to censor all forms of journalistic content. Defamation suits are common and may sometimes be accompanied by a sedition charge that is punishable by up to 21 years in prison. The political control is coupled with an economic straitjacket. Two business groups control all of Singapore’s print and broadcast media. One, MediaCorp, is owned by a state investment company. The other, Singapore Press Holdings, is supposedly privately-owned but the government appoints those who run it. As a result, self-censorship is widespread, including within the alternative independent media, which are intimidated by the judicial and economic pressure. The red lines imposed by the authorities, known by Singapore’s journalists as “OB markers” (for out-of-bounds markers), apply to an ever-wider range of issues and public figures. The authorities have also started sending journalists emails threatening them with up to 20 years in prison if they don’t remove annoying articles and fall into line. Finally, the Orwellian provisions of the “anti-fake news” law adopted in 2019 forces all media outlets and digital platforms to post “corrections” to any content that the government may arbitrarily deem to be “incorrect”. This censorship bureau 2.0 has enabled the government to impose its own version on a range of subjects including the death penalty, the salary paid to the prime minister’s wife, and its handling of the Covid-19 crisis.
https://rsf.org/en/singapore
A drop of 2 places.
Singapore is ranked lower than Sudan (159), Rwanda (156), Turkey (153), Honduras (151), Russian (150), Myanmar (140), Thailand (137), Afghanistan (122), Nicaragua (121), Lebanon (107), Haiti (87), Timor Leste (71), Mongolia (68).
An alternative way to curtail press freedom
Singapore has been coloured black on the World Press Freedom Index map since 2020, meaning the situation there is now is classified as “very bad”. Despite the “Switzerland of the East” label often used in government propaganda, the city-state does not fall far short of China when it comes to suppressing media freedom. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s government is always quick to sue critical journalists, apply pressure to make them unemployable, or even force them to leave the country. The Media Development Authority has the power to censor all forms of journalistic content. Defamation suits are common and may sometimes be accompanied by a sedition charge that is punishable by up to 21 years in prison. The political control is coupled with an economic straitjacket. Two business groups control all of Singapore’s print and broadcast media. One, MediaCorp, is owned by a state investment company. The other, Singapore Press Holdings, is supposedly privately-owned but the government appoints those who run it. As a result, self-censorship is widespread, including within the alternative independent media, which are intimidated by the judicial and economic pressure. The red lines imposed by the authorities, known by Singapore’s journalists as “OB markers” (for out-of-bounds markers), apply to an ever-wider range of issues and public figures. The authorities have also started sending journalists emails threatening them with up to 20 years in prison if they don’t remove annoying articles and fall into line. Finally, the Orwellian provisions of the “anti-fake news” law adopted in 2019 forces all media outlets and digital platforms to post “corrections” to any content that the government may arbitrarily deem to be “incorrect”. This censorship bureau 2.0 has enabled the government to impose its own version on a range of subjects including the death penalty, the salary paid to the prime minister’s wife, and its handling of the Covid-19 crisis.
https://rsf.org/en/singapore
Surprised? Don't be when the tone is set at the top (government).
Local firms need to do better on corporate governance disclosures
Singapore ranks behind Thailand and Malaysia in 2019 edition of the Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard
WED, MAY 12, 2021 - 5:50 AM
RAE WEE[email protected]@RaeWeeBT
ACGS top 20 Singapore companies
Singapore
SINGAPORE-LISTED companies need to be more disciplined and be willing to disclose more if they want to achieve better corporate governance results, particularly as corporate governance becomes a more important measure for comparing companies across markets, a National University of SIngapore (NUS) don has said.
Speaking at an Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) briefing on Tuesday, Associate Professor Lawrence Loh, who is director for the Centre for Governance and Sustainability (CGS) at the NUS Business School, said that companies should "disclose (even) the most obvious".
"Don't be shy. When in doubt, just disclose. Don't take things for granted," he added.
The event was jointly organised and presented by the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) and the CGS.
Prof Loh gave the example of attendance of directors at annual general meetings (AGMs). As it is "a given" that attendance is required, most companies do not disclose attendance information. But this may not be the case in other jurisdictions, where attendance information may be disclosed by companies in those other jurisdictions. Making such disclosures would therefore be beneficial for local companies.
This is because "investors do make choices across multiple markets", said Prof Loh. Thus, "it is critical that companies make diligent and accurate governance disclosures so that they stack well against those in other markets".
In the 2019 edition of the ACGS, Singapore ranked behind Thailand and Malaysia in terms of average total scores. Countries that participated in the 2019 assessment were Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The ACGS is released biennially under the Asean Capital Markets forum, a grouping of capital markets regulators. The domestic ranking bodies of each country assess a list of the top 100 publicly-listed companies by market capitalisation in their jurisdictions, and each of the top 35 companies from each country undergo peer-review assessment randomly by the domestic ranking bodies of the other countries.
Locally, the CGS and SID made up the domestic ranking body. They were appointed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as the Republic's domestic ranking body for the Asean Corporate Governance Initiative in 2013.
Companies are scored on two tiers. The Level 1 score has five components: rights of shareholders, equitable treatment of shareholders, role of shareholders, disclosure and transparency, as well as responsibilities of the board. The Level 2 score awards bonus and penalty points.
On average, Singapore companies scored 88.27 out of the maximum attainable 130 points. Thailand and Malaysia achieved an average score of 96.6 points and 94.99 points, respectively.
The top scorer in Singapore was ground handler and in-flight caterer SATS, with a score of 119.68. UOB came in second with 119.38 points, followed by the Singapore Exchange with 119.10 points.
Across the board, for the individual components, local companies scored 8.6 out of 10 points for rights of shareholders, 9.3 out of 10 for equitable treatment of shareholders, 12.2 out of 15 for role of shareholders, 20 out of 25 for disclosure and transparency, and 30.8 out of 40 for responsibilities of the board.
When it came to disclosures, one major area of difference between Singapore and other markets was disclosures on the attendance of board members and the chief executive at meetings. Only 34 of the 100 Singapore companies said they disclosed this information.
Also, only 20 of the 100 companies had posted an up-to-date version of their corporation's constitution - including the company's by-laws as well as memorandum and articles of association - on their websites.
In response to a question raised during the briefing on why Singapore companies may be reluctant to make disclosures compared to their regional counterparts, John Lim, chairman of the CGS and nominated corporate governance expert for Singapore for the ACGS, said: "I think it's a kind of belief by some companies that when you disclose too much information, you might be giving away trade secrets. A lot of information might be sensitive information, and you might be giving away something to the competition."
But he added that the type of information asked to be disclosed has nothing to do with trade secrets, such as that of a CEO's remuneration or the general strategy of a company. The companies' concerns are therefore typically invalid.
The lack of disclosure puts locally-listed companies at a disadvantage compared with their regional peers. If they were to pay more attention to such matters, their ratings and ranking for corporate governance matters should improve.
As Mr Lim put it: "Singapore companies appear to have the tendency to do more than what they disclose.
"In Singapore, we have what we call a balanced ecosystem. We've got regulations, we've got market practices. Here is a case where in fact, you have already implemented the practice; what you're falling short on is just disclosure."
Local firms need to do better on corporate governance disclosures
Singapore ranks behind Thailand and Malaysia in 2019 edition of the Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard
WED, MAY 12, 2021 - 5:50 AM
RAE WEE[email protected]@RaeWeeBT
Singapore
SINGAPORE-LISTED companies need to be more disciplined and be willing to disclose more if they want to achieve better corporate governance results, particularly as corporate governance becomes a more important measure for comparing companies across markets, a National University of SIngapore (NUS) don has said.
Speaking at an Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) briefing on Tuesday, Associate Professor Lawrence Loh, who is director for the Centre for Governance and Sustainability (CGS) at the NUS Business School, said that companies should "disclose (even) the most obvious".
"Don't be shy. When in doubt, just disclose. Don't take things for granted," he added.
The event was jointly organised and presented by the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) and the CGS.
Prof Loh gave the example of attendance of directors at annual general meetings (AGMs). As it is "a given" that attendance is required, most companies do not disclose attendance information. But this may not be the case in other jurisdictions, where attendance information may be disclosed by companies in those other jurisdictions. Making such disclosures would therefore be beneficial for local companies.
This is because "investors do make choices across multiple markets", said Prof Loh. Thus, "it is critical that companies make diligent and accurate governance disclosures so that they stack well against those in other markets".
In the 2019 edition of the ACGS, Singapore ranked behind Thailand and Malaysia in terms of average total scores. Countries that participated in the 2019 assessment were Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The ACGS is released biennially under the Asean Capital Markets forum, a grouping of capital markets regulators. The domestic ranking bodies of each country assess a list of the top 100 publicly-listed companies by market capitalisation in their jurisdictions, and each of the top 35 companies from each country undergo peer-review assessment randomly by the domestic ranking bodies of the other countries.
Locally, the CGS and SID made up the domestic ranking body. They were appointed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as the Republic's domestic ranking body for the Asean Corporate Governance Initiative in 2013.
Companies are scored on two tiers. The Level 1 score has five components: rights of shareholders, equitable treatment of shareholders, role of shareholders, disclosure and transparency, as well as responsibilities of the board. The Level 2 score awards bonus and penalty points.
On average, Singapore companies scored 88.27 out of the maximum attainable 130 points. Thailand and Malaysia achieved an average score of 96.6 points and 94.99 points, respectively.
The top scorer in Singapore was ground handler and in-flight caterer SATS, with a score of 119.68. UOB came in second with 119.38 points, followed by the Singapore Exchange with 119.10 points.
Across the board, for the individual components, local companies scored 8.6 out of 10 points for rights of shareholders, 9.3 out of 10 for equitable treatment of shareholders, 12.2 out of 15 for role of shareholders, 20 out of 25 for disclosure and transparency, and 30.8 out of 40 for responsibilities of the board.
When it came to disclosures, one major area of difference between Singapore and other markets was disclosures on the attendance of board members and the chief executive at meetings. Only 34 of the 100 Singapore companies said they disclosed this information.
Also, only 20 of the 100 companies had posted an up-to-date version of their corporation's constitution - including the company's by-laws as well as memorandum and articles of association - on their websites.
In response to a question raised during the briefing on why Singapore companies may be reluctant to make disclosures compared to their regional counterparts, John Lim, chairman of the CGS and nominated corporate governance expert for Singapore for the ACGS, said: "I think it's a kind of belief by some companies that when you disclose too much information, you might be giving away trade secrets. A lot of information might be sensitive information, and you might be giving away something to the competition."
But he added that the type of information asked to be disclosed has nothing to do with trade secrets, such as that of a CEO's remuneration or the general strategy of a company. The companies' concerns are therefore typically invalid.
The lack of disclosure puts locally-listed companies at a disadvantage compared with their regional peers. If they were to pay more attention to such matters, their ratings and ranking for corporate governance matters should improve.
As Mr Lim put it: "Singapore companies appear to have the tendency to do more than what they disclose.
"In Singapore, we have what we call a balanced ecosystem. We've got regulations, we've got market practices. Here is a case where in fact, you have already implemented the practice; what you're falling short on is just disclosure."
Last edited:
NUS rank 3rd and NTU 5th among Asia's universities.
But where do they rank in terms of safety for its female students, in terms of dealing with sexual harassment cases expediently and equitably?
The NUS spokesman and the NTU deputy president and provost, Professor Ling San, were quick to be quoted.
But where were they when the various sex incidents at both campuses were reported?
Both universities have held top 10 positions since 2015.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Yeo Shu Hui
Jun 2, 2021
SINGAPORE - The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has ranked fifth among Asia's top universities while the National University of Singapore (NUS) retained third place in the latest rankings by Times Higher Education.
NTU returned to the top five after finishing sixth in 2020 as NUS continued its stay in the top three. Both universities have held top 10 positions since 2015.
The top 10 universities in Asia were dominated by those in China and Hong Kong, with Tsinghua University and Peking University clinching the first and second spots respectively while the University of Hong Kong retained fourth place.
This is the third year running that Tsinghua University has been ranked first.
Other universities in the list include The University of Tokyo in sixth place, Seoul National University in ninth and Kyoto University in 10th, having climbed two places after ranking 12th last year.
This year's rankings, which were released on Wednesday (June 2), comprises 551 universities from 30 countries and regions, up from the 489 ranked in 2020.
Times Higher Education assessed the universities based on 13 performance indicators that are grouped into five areas: teaching (the learning environment); research (volume, income and reputation); citations (research influence); international outlook (staff, students and research); and industry income (knowledge transfer).
Mr Phil Baty, chief knowledge officer of the publication, said the increasing number of participating universities highlights the growing competitiveness across the region.
He added: "It will be interesting to see what happens in the region over the coming years, and how universities across Asia adapt to the post-Covid world.
"Despite the difficulties caused by Covid-19, there may be an opportunity for Asian universities to attract and retain more regional students and academic staff as disruption to traditional talent flow continues."
NUS noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the push for universities worldwide to transform and enhance their contributions to society.
An NUS spokesman said: "We have been sharpening our graduate's competencies and preparing them to be more agile and adaptable by intensifying our focus on interdisciplinarity, experiential and cross-cultural learning, alongside our efforts in lifelong learning initiatives."
The spokesman added that NUS has also strengthened its research capabilities as it innovates to find solutions to pressing local and global challenges, such as in supporting the pandemic efforts, from rapid diagnostics to vaccine development.
Professor Ling San, deputy president and provost of NTU, said that its climb up the Asia University Rankings was driven by its strong performance in citations and industry income indicators.
He added that despite the Covid-19 pandemic last year, NTU remained actively engaged in industry collaborations and research, such as developing rapid test kits to help in the pandemic.
"The university's achievement is the result of the hard work and concerted efforts of the NTU community to achieve the university's mission and objectives. Educating and training the next generation of thinkers, innovators, leaders and lifelong learners is central to our mission," said Prof Ling.
But where do they rank in terms of safety for its female students, in terms of dealing with sexual harassment cases expediently and equitably?
The NUS spokesman and the NTU deputy president and provost, Professor Ling San, were quick to be quoted.
But where were they when the various sex incidents at both campuses were reported?
NTU returns to 5th spot as NUS remains 3rd among Asia's top universities
Both universities have held top 10 positions since 2015.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Yeo Shu Hui
Jun 2, 2021
SINGAPORE - The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has ranked fifth among Asia's top universities while the National University of Singapore (NUS) retained third place in the latest rankings by Times Higher Education.
NTU returned to the top five after finishing sixth in 2020 as NUS continued its stay in the top three. Both universities have held top 10 positions since 2015.
The top 10 universities in Asia were dominated by those in China and Hong Kong, with Tsinghua University and Peking University clinching the first and second spots respectively while the University of Hong Kong retained fourth place.
This is the third year running that Tsinghua University has been ranked first.
Other universities in the list include The University of Tokyo in sixth place, Seoul National University in ninth and Kyoto University in 10th, having climbed two places after ranking 12th last year.
This year's rankings, which were released on Wednesday (June 2), comprises 551 universities from 30 countries and regions, up from the 489 ranked in 2020.
Times Higher Education assessed the universities based on 13 performance indicators that are grouped into five areas: teaching (the learning environment); research (volume, income and reputation); citations (research influence); international outlook (staff, students and research); and industry income (knowledge transfer).
Mr Phil Baty, chief knowledge officer of the publication, said the increasing number of participating universities highlights the growing competitiveness across the region.
He added: "It will be interesting to see what happens in the region over the coming years, and how universities across Asia adapt to the post-Covid world.
"Despite the difficulties caused by Covid-19, there may be an opportunity for Asian universities to attract and retain more regional students and academic staff as disruption to traditional talent flow continues."
NUS noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the push for universities worldwide to transform and enhance their contributions to society.
An NUS spokesman said: "We have been sharpening our graduate's competencies and preparing them to be more agile and adaptable by intensifying our focus on interdisciplinarity, experiential and cross-cultural learning, alongside our efforts in lifelong learning initiatives."
The spokesman added that NUS has also strengthened its research capabilities as it innovates to find solutions to pressing local and global challenges, such as in supporting the pandemic efforts, from rapid diagnostics to vaccine development.
Professor Ling San, deputy president and provost of NTU, said that its climb up the Asia University Rankings was driven by its strong performance in citations and industry income indicators.
He added that despite the Covid-19 pandemic last year, NTU remained actively engaged in industry collaborations and research, such as developing rapid test kits to help in the pandemic.
"The university's achievement is the result of the hard work and concerted efforts of the NTU community to achieve the university's mission and objectives. Educating and training the next generation of thinkers, innovators, leaders and lifelong learners is central to our mission," said Prof Ling.
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Quote: "QS evaluated the institutions on six indicators: academic reputation, reputation among employers, citations per faculty member, faculty to student ratio, ratio of international faculty members and ratio of international students."
Should the universities also be evaluated on other measures like governance, quality of life, physical security, and mental health?
What are the number of sex-related offences and how have the universities dealt with them?
Globally, NUS has come in 11th, keeping its spot from last year, while NTU has moved up a notch to 12th place.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Ng Wei Kai
June 9, 2021
SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have been named Asia's best universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) annual higher education ranking.
Globally, NUS has come in 11th, keeping its spot from last year, while NTU has moved up a notch to 12th place in a league table comparing 1,300 universities.
NUS has held the No. 1 position among Asian universities for the past four years in the Britain-based firm's rankings.
QS is a higher education analysis company, and this is the 18th edition of its annual ranking exercise.
QS evaluated the institutions on six indicators: academic reputation, reputation among employers, citations per faculty member, faculty to student ratio, ratio of international faculty members and ratio of international students.
The global top 10 continued to be dominated by American and British institutions.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States topped the list, while the University of Oxford in Britain came in second.
Stanford University in the US and Britain's University of Cambridge tied for third place.
The only university in the top 10 from outside the US and Britain was the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, which tied for 8th place with Britain's University College London.
After NUS and NTU, the highest-ranked Asian universities on the chart are China's Tsinghua and Peking universities, placed 17th and 18th.
NTU has continued to rise through the global university rankings, moving up 29 places on the QS list since 2013.
NTU president Subra Suresh said: "NTU's focus on academic and research excellence has contributed to our rise in local and global stature.
In a separate list released by Times Higher Education last week, NTU ranked fifth in Asia, up from sixth last year, while NUS maintained its third place.
Director of research at QS Ben Sowter said: "Singapore's top two universities remain the finest higher education hubs outside Europe and the United States.
"Very few universities have done more to attract top international faculty from across the world than NUS and NTU, and their high levels of research impact are a direct result of this global outlook."
NUS president Tan Eng Chye said: "We are pleased with NUS' strong performance in the latest QS World University Rankings and the recognition given as one of the leading universities in the world, and in Asia.
Earlier this year in March, NUS and NTU topped QS' global rankings in specific subject areas.
NTU overtook MIT to become the world's leading institution for the study of materials science.
QS has also placed the NUS petroleum engineering programme at No. 1.
Should the universities also be evaluated on other measures like governance, quality of life, physical security, and mental health?
What are the number of sex-related offences and how have the universities dealt with them?
NUS and NTU named best universities in Asia; NTU moves up to 12th place globally behind NUS' 11th
Globally, NUS has come in 11th, keeping its spot from last year, while NTU has moved up a notch to 12th place.PHOTOS: ST FILE
Ng Wei Kai
June 9, 2021
SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have been named Asia's best universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) annual higher education ranking.
Globally, NUS has come in 11th, keeping its spot from last year, while NTU has moved up a notch to 12th place in a league table comparing 1,300 universities.
NUS has held the No. 1 position among Asian universities for the past four years in the Britain-based firm's rankings.
QS is a higher education analysis company, and this is the 18th edition of its annual ranking exercise.
QS evaluated the institutions on six indicators: academic reputation, reputation among employers, citations per faculty member, faculty to student ratio, ratio of international faculty members and ratio of international students.
The global top 10 continued to be dominated by American and British institutions.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States topped the list, while the University of Oxford in Britain came in second.
Stanford University in the US and Britain's University of Cambridge tied for third place.
The only university in the top 10 from outside the US and Britain was the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, which tied for 8th place with Britain's University College London.
After NUS and NTU, the highest-ranked Asian universities on the chart are China's Tsinghua and Peking universities, placed 17th and 18th.
NTU has continued to rise through the global university rankings, moving up 29 places on the QS list since 2013.
NTU president Subra Suresh said: "NTU's focus on academic and research excellence has contributed to our rise in local and global stature.
"NTU provides an exceptional environment for learning as well as high-impact research and innovation, as seen from several independent international rankings."In a separate list released by Times Higher Education last week, NTU ranked fifth in Asia, up from sixth last year, while NUS maintained its third place.
Director of research at QS Ben Sowter said: "Singapore's top two universities remain the finest higher education hubs outside Europe and the United States.
"Very few universities have done more to attract top international faculty from across the world than NUS and NTU, and their high levels of research impact are a direct result of this global outlook."
NUS president Tan Eng Chye said: "We are pleased with NUS' strong performance in the latest QS World University Rankings and the recognition given as one of the leading universities in the world, and in Asia.
"NUS has distinguished itself in the area of research, and we will continue to grow our capabilities, particularly in interdisciplinary research, to develop innovative and translational solutions to address increasingly complex challenges and global uncertainties like the Covid-19 pandemic."Earlier this year in March, NUS and NTU topped QS' global rankings in specific subject areas.
NTU overtook MIT to become the world's leading institution for the study of materials science.
QS has also placed the NUS petroleum engineering programme at No. 1.
SG is now the largest source of investments in India? Oh, dear.
Singapore continues to be confident of India's growth prospects and remains the largest source of foreign direct investment annually, said President Halimah Yacob.
PHOTO: REUTERS
AUG 15, 2021
SINGAPORE - Despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Singapore and India have forged even closer ties through continued mutual support, said President Halimah Yacob on Sunday (Aug 15) as India celebrates its 75th Independence Day.
In a letter to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind to convey her best wishes on the special occasion, Madam Halimah reiterated "the longstanding friendship between our two countries, underpinned by strong fundamentals in areas including economic, security and people-to-people ties".
"Singapore continues to be confident of India's growth prospects and remains the largest source of foreign direct investment annually," said the President, adding that "our two countries are also pursuing greater cooperation in emerging areas of Fintech, digitisation, and innovation".
Pointing to the upcoming Asean-India Dialogue Relations later this month, where Singapore is assuming the role of Country Coordinator, President Halimah said Singapore is looking forward to "working with India to deepen India's engagement of the region and to strengthen the Asean-India Strategic Partnership".
"Given the wide-ranging cooperation between our two countries, I am confident that relations between Singapore and India will continue to strengthen as we emerge from the pandemic," she said.
President Halimah Yacob congratulates India on its 75th independence day
Singapore continues to be confident of India's growth prospects and remains the largest source of foreign direct investment annually, said President Halimah Yacob.
PHOTO: REUTERS
AUG 15, 2021
SINGAPORE - Despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Singapore and India have forged even closer ties through continued mutual support, said President Halimah Yacob on Sunday (Aug 15) as India celebrates its 75th Independence Day.
In a letter to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind to convey her best wishes on the special occasion, Madam Halimah reiterated "the longstanding friendship between our two countries, underpinned by strong fundamentals in areas including economic, security and people-to-people ties".
"Singapore continues to be confident of India's growth prospects and remains the largest source of foreign direct investment annually," said the President, adding that "our two countries are also pursuing greater cooperation in emerging areas of Fintech, digitisation, and innovation".
Pointing to the upcoming Asean-India Dialogue Relations later this month, where Singapore is assuming the role of Country Coordinator, President Halimah said Singapore is looking forward to "working with India to deepen India's engagement of the region and to strengthen the Asean-India Strategic Partnership".
"Given the wide-ranging cooperation between our two countries, I am confident that relations between Singapore and India will continue to strengthen as we emerge from the pandemic," she said.
Of what use in having the most powerful passport in the world when Sinkies were locked down for close to 2 years?
Holders of Singapore and Japan passports can travel without a prior visa to 192 destinations.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Rosalind Ang
Oct 11, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore and Japan have the most powerful passports in the world, according to the latest update of a global index.
Holders of passports from the two countries can travel without a prior visa to 192 destinations, it noted last week.
This is a change from April, when Japan outstripped Singapore in having the world's most powerful passport, with Japanese passport holders able to travel to 193 destinations without a prior visa, while Singaporean passport holders had such access to 192 destinations.
In the latest update, South Korea and Germany are tied for second place, with such access to 190 countries. The two countries had been tied for third place in April, with access to 191 destinations.
Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain are in third place, with access to 189 nations; while Austria and Denmark are in fourth, with access to 188 countries.
The index, administered by Henley & Partners and updated throughout the year, ranks passport power according to how many destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa.
The global citizenship and residence advisory firm noted that the gap in travel freedom is at its widest since the index was started in 2006, with Singaporean and Japanese passport holders able to visit 166 more destinations than Afghan citizens, who can travel to only 26 nations worldwide without acquiring a visa in advance.
Britain and the United States have been facing eroding passport strength since they held the top spot in 2014. Both remain tied in seventh place, but have a score of 185, down from 187 in the first quarter of the year.
Egypt is ranked 97th, with its citizens having access to 51 countries without a prior visa, while Kenya is 77th, with access to 72 destinations visa-free.
Meanwhile, Singapore will be allowing vaccinated travellers to travel to nine more countries and return without quarantine, the authorities announced last Saturday (Oct 9).
From Oct 19, vaccinated travellers from Singapore will be able to fly to Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Britain and the US.
The scheme will be extended to South Korea from Nov 15, it was announced last Friday.
These are in addition to Brunei and Germany, which Singapore had already approved for quarantine-free travel for those fully vaccinated.
In total, there will be 11 countries that Singapore approves for quarantine-free travel.
Based on data from the International Air Transport Association, the index showed that countries in the global north with high-ranking passports have enforced some of the most stringent inbound Covid-19 travel restrictions.
On the other hand, many countries with lower-ranking passports have relaxed their borders without seeing this openness reciprocated, it noted.
Henley & Partners chairman Christian Kaelin said: "It is pivotal that advanced nations consider revising their somewhat exclusive approach to the rest of the world, and reform and adapt to overcome the competition and not miss the opportunity to embrace the potential."
Singapore and Japan passports tied for most powerful in the world
Holders of Singapore and Japan passports can travel without a prior visa to 192 destinations.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Rosalind Ang
Oct 11, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore and Japan have the most powerful passports in the world, according to the latest update of a global index.
Holders of passports from the two countries can travel without a prior visa to 192 destinations, it noted last week.
This is a change from April, when Japan outstripped Singapore in having the world's most powerful passport, with Japanese passport holders able to travel to 193 destinations without a prior visa, while Singaporean passport holders had such access to 192 destinations.
In the latest update, South Korea and Germany are tied for second place, with such access to 190 countries. The two countries had been tied for third place in April, with access to 191 destinations.
Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain are in third place, with access to 189 nations; while Austria and Denmark are in fourth, with access to 188 countries.
The index, administered by Henley & Partners and updated throughout the year, ranks passport power according to how many destinations their holders can travel to without a prior visa.
The global citizenship and residence advisory firm noted that the gap in travel freedom is at its widest since the index was started in 2006, with Singaporean and Japanese passport holders able to visit 166 more destinations than Afghan citizens, who can travel to only 26 nations worldwide without acquiring a visa in advance.
Britain and the United States have been facing eroding passport strength since they held the top spot in 2014. Both remain tied in seventh place, but have a score of 185, down from 187 in the first quarter of the year.
Egypt is ranked 97th, with its citizens having access to 51 countries without a prior visa, while Kenya is 77th, with access to 72 destinations visa-free.
Meanwhile, Singapore will be allowing vaccinated travellers to travel to nine more countries and return without quarantine, the authorities announced last Saturday (Oct 9).
From Oct 19, vaccinated travellers from Singapore will be able to fly to Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Britain and the US.
The scheme will be extended to South Korea from Nov 15, it was announced last Friday.
These are in addition to Brunei and Germany, which Singapore had already approved for quarantine-free travel for those fully vaccinated.
In total, there will be 11 countries that Singapore approves for quarantine-free travel.
Based on data from the International Air Transport Association, the index showed that countries in the global north with high-ranking passports have enforced some of the most stringent inbound Covid-19 travel restrictions.
On the other hand, many countries with lower-ranking passports have relaxed their borders without seeing this openness reciprocated, it noted.
Henley & Partners chairman Christian Kaelin said: "It is pivotal that advanced nations consider revising their somewhat exclusive approach to the rest of the world, and reform and adapt to overcome the competition and not miss the opportunity to embrace the potential."
Siri why is sinkieland banned by indons?
Lawfulness in Singapore is deteriorating.
Isn't this of more concern that being obsessed with the Singapore passport being the most powerful in the world?
Singapore was ranked 17th position out of 139 territories worldwide in the index compiled by the World Justice Project.PHOTO: ST FILE
Justin Ong
Political Correspondent
OCT 14, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore has slipped three places in a global ranking of rule of law and fallen outside the top three spots in the region for the first time since 2015.
This is based on an index compiled by the World Justice Project (WJP), an independent advocacy group founded in the United States.
The Republic's 17th position out of 139 territories worldwide - and fourth out of 15 in East Asia and the Pacific - comes amid declining rule of law scores across most of the globe, with the Covid-19 situation accentuating trends in weakening institutional checks and diminishing civic space.
Pandemic measures also contributed to delays and access issues in civil and criminal justice systems - areas where Singapore recorded dips in performance, according to the WJP report released on Thursday (Oct 14).
Still, Singapore's performance has remained relatively stable over the years, with its overall score of 0.78 a 1 per cent drop from 2020, and down from 0.81 in 2015.
The annual index measures how rule of law is experienced and perceived in practical, everyday situations across the world.
Performance is determined using 44 indicators across eight main rule of law factors, each scored and ranked globally and regionally.
The factors are constraints on government power, government openness, corruption, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, and criminal and civil justice systems.
Singapore was the world leader in order and security last year, but dropped to third this time. It fared worse in the areas of fundamental rights (38th), open government (34th) and constraints on government power (32nd), but was in the top 10 for the other factors.
This year, the top three global places for overall rule of law went to Denmark, Norway and Finland, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cambodia and Venezuela rounded off the bottom.
Ratings are based on survey responses to over 500 questions, from more than 138,000 households and 4,200 legal practitioners and experts across 139 jurisdictions - up from 128 last year.
The data was collected between October 2020 and May this year.
Regionally, Singapore finished third overall in 2020 but was overtaken by Japan this year, with New Zealand the top performer, followed by Australia.
The Philippines, Myanmar and Cambodia registered the lowest scores in the region. Eleven out of the 15 East Asia and Pacific countries declined in the past year, with Myanmar in particular registering a major dip of 6.3 per cent, second only to Belarus (7.5 per cent) among all countries globally.
Singapore remained top of the regional table in five of the eight factors, including absence of corruption, order and security, and civil and criminal justice systems.
The WJP, which has offices in Singapore and Mexico, noted that globally 74.2 per cent of countries covered by its report - accounting for 84.7 per cent of the world's population - declined in their overall rule of law performance.
This was the fourth straight year where more countries deteriorated than improved.
WJP chief research officer Alejandro Ponce told The Straits Times: "In the majority of countries, the Covid-19 pandemic and the sanitary measures to contain it had a negative effect on the rule of law."
For instance, the stress imposed on justice institutions around the world led to 94 per cent of countries in the index experiencing delays in civil, criminal, and administrative justice systems, along with problems of access.
Against a backdrop of lowered trust in governments, 82 per cent of the countries registered diminishing dimensions of civic space such as in freedom of opinion, expression and assembly; while 70 per cent reported weakened constraints on government powers.
Another effect was a perceived rise in discrimination against vulnerable groups, "due partly because measures were not implemented equally or did not affect everybody equally", said Dr Ponce.
Taken together, these widespread negative trends signal an "opening of the door" to growing authoritarianism, warned the WJP in a press release.
"This year's WJP rule of law index should be a wake-up call for us all," said project co-founder and chief executive Bill Neukom. "Rule of law is the very foundation of communities of justice, opportunity and peace.
"Reinforcing that foundation should be a top priority for the coming period of recovery from the pandemic."
A spokesman pointed out that in response to Covid-19 disruptions and limitations such as safe distancing measures, Singapore had swiftly put in place measures to address the impact and to ensure continued access to justice.
For instance, a temporary remote hearing framework was introduced in April last year, which allowed cases to continue to be heard through the circuit breaker period, which curtailed social gatherings and most activities for almost two months.
The Law Ministry spokesman noted that the Courts reported high clearance rates for civil and criminal matters in 2020, with most cases that were delayed eventually dealt with by January this year.
Vulnerable groups were assisted through a specialist Protection from Harassment Court which commenced in June.
And when it came to implementing measures to manage the pandemic, institutional checks and relevant parliamentary processes continued to be observed, such as when a series of legal reliefs for individuals and businesses under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act was passed through Parliament.
Pointing to Singapore's low Covid-19 death rates, high rate of vaccination, and forecast economic growth, the spokesman said: "Such positive outcomes, even during a crisis like the pandemic, are testament to how our adoption of rule of law in Singapore is ultimately premised on achieving good governance and improving the lives of all Singaporeans."
Isn't this of more concern that being obsessed with the Singapore passport being the most powerful in the world?
S'pore slips 3 places in global rule of law rankings amid Covid-19 impact on justice systems
Singapore was ranked 17th position out of 139 territories worldwide in the index compiled by the World Justice Project.PHOTO: ST FILE
Justin Ong
Political Correspondent
OCT 14, 2021
SINGAPORE - Singapore has slipped three places in a global ranking of rule of law and fallen outside the top three spots in the region for the first time since 2015.
This is based on an index compiled by the World Justice Project (WJP), an independent advocacy group founded in the United States.
The Republic's 17th position out of 139 territories worldwide - and fourth out of 15 in East Asia and the Pacific - comes amid declining rule of law scores across most of the globe, with the Covid-19 situation accentuating trends in weakening institutional checks and diminishing civic space.
Pandemic measures also contributed to delays and access issues in civil and criminal justice systems - areas where Singapore recorded dips in performance, according to the WJP report released on Thursday (Oct 14).
Still, Singapore's performance has remained relatively stable over the years, with its overall score of 0.78 a 1 per cent drop from 2020, and down from 0.81 in 2015.
The annual index measures how rule of law is experienced and perceived in practical, everyday situations across the world.
Performance is determined using 44 indicators across eight main rule of law factors, each scored and ranked globally and regionally.
The factors are constraints on government power, government openness, corruption, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, and criminal and civil justice systems.
Singapore was the world leader in order and security last year, but dropped to third this time. It fared worse in the areas of fundamental rights (38th), open government (34th) and constraints on government power (32nd), but was in the top 10 for the other factors.
This year, the top three global places for overall rule of law went to Denmark, Norway and Finland, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cambodia and Venezuela rounded off the bottom.
Ratings are based on survey responses to over 500 questions, from more than 138,000 households and 4,200 legal practitioners and experts across 139 jurisdictions - up from 128 last year.
The data was collected between October 2020 and May this year.
Regionally, Singapore finished third overall in 2020 but was overtaken by Japan this year, with New Zealand the top performer, followed by Australia.
The Philippines, Myanmar and Cambodia registered the lowest scores in the region. Eleven out of the 15 East Asia and Pacific countries declined in the past year, with Myanmar in particular registering a major dip of 6.3 per cent, second only to Belarus (7.5 per cent) among all countries globally.
Singapore remained top of the regional table in five of the eight factors, including absence of corruption, order and security, and civil and criminal justice systems.
The WJP, which has offices in Singapore and Mexico, noted that globally 74.2 per cent of countries covered by its report - accounting for 84.7 per cent of the world's population - declined in their overall rule of law performance.
This was the fourth straight year where more countries deteriorated than improved.
WJP chief research officer Alejandro Ponce told The Straits Times: "In the majority of countries, the Covid-19 pandemic and the sanitary measures to contain it had a negative effect on the rule of law."
For instance, the stress imposed on justice institutions around the world led to 94 per cent of countries in the index experiencing delays in civil, criminal, and administrative justice systems, along with problems of access.
Against a backdrop of lowered trust in governments, 82 per cent of the countries registered diminishing dimensions of civic space such as in freedom of opinion, expression and assembly; while 70 per cent reported weakened constraints on government powers.
Another effect was a perceived rise in discrimination against vulnerable groups, "due partly because measures were not implemented equally or did not affect everybody equally", said Dr Ponce.
Taken together, these widespread negative trends signal an "opening of the door" to growing authoritarianism, warned the WJP in a press release.
"This year's WJP rule of law index should be a wake-up call for us all," said project co-founder and chief executive Bill Neukom. "Rule of law is the very foundation of communities of justice, opportunity and peace.
"Reinforcing that foundation should be a top priority for the coming period of recovery from the pandemic."
Rule of law the foundation of Singapore: MinLaw
In response to the WJP report, the Ministry of Law told The Straits Times that Singapore's consistently good performance in the index attests to how rule of law is a core principle of the nation, and the foundation on which it is built.A spokesman pointed out that in response to Covid-19 disruptions and limitations such as safe distancing measures, Singapore had swiftly put in place measures to address the impact and to ensure continued access to justice.
For instance, a temporary remote hearing framework was introduced in April last year, which allowed cases to continue to be heard through the circuit breaker period, which curtailed social gatherings and most activities for almost two months.
The Law Ministry spokesman noted that the Courts reported high clearance rates for civil and criminal matters in 2020, with most cases that were delayed eventually dealt with by January this year.
Vulnerable groups were assisted through a specialist Protection from Harassment Court which commenced in June.
And when it came to implementing measures to manage the pandemic, institutional checks and relevant parliamentary processes continued to be observed, such as when a series of legal reliefs for individuals and businesses under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act was passed through Parliament.
Pointing to Singapore's low Covid-19 death rates, high rate of vaccination, and forecast economic growth, the spokesman said: "Such positive outcomes, even during a crisis like the pandemic, are testament to how our adoption of rule of law in Singapore is ultimately premised on achieving good governance and improving the lives of all Singaporeans."
how to i change to be a burmese to become very powerful
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