Are govt policies responsible for making S'pore the most expensive city in the world?

[True Believer]

The perception of most S'poreans is that the govt's policies have driven up the cost of living, making the Little Red Dot the most expensive city in the world. A common critique is that state land sales drive up the cost of commercial space and residential properties. Higher rents for eateries, shops and offices are inevitably passed on to consumers, so daily necessities like food, groceries and other essential items become more expensive. The price of COE premiums is a deliberate govt policy to limit the vehicle population and bring in as much as $1 billion in tax revenue every month, artificially pushing up private transport and business costs, thereby increasing the overall Consumer Price Index. Add to that consecutive GST increases that place a burden on our purchasing power. Since GST is applied to everyday goods and services, these hikes directly increase our living expenses, which S'poreans see as the govt contributing to inflation.