Singapore: Asia's most liveable city?

On Monday, the second annual World Cities Summit will kick into high gear. Mayors, urban planners and officials from around the globe will gather here to exchange ideas on how to develop liveable and sustainable cities for the future. Host country Singapore was recently ranked the most liveable city in Asia, and 28th in the world, in a survey of 450 cities. Insight finds out what Singapore's report card looks like, and the value of such rankings.
Cassandra Chew Straits Times 26 Jun 10;

JAPANESE businessman Takahashi Kenichi fell in love with char kway teow and bak kut teh when he first came here to work in 1993.

'The flavours of these foods cannot be found in Japan,' says the Yokohama native and restaurant-chain owner.

The 54-year-old also found it easier to do business in Singapore than in nearby, politically tumultuous Thailand.

Confident that he could have a high quality of life here, Mr Takahashi left behind the cold Japanese winters for the perennial sunshine on this tiny isle.

Expatriates like him have helped Singapore retain the accolade of being Asia's most liveable city in the Mercer rankings, for the sixth consecutive year.

For the last 15 years, human resource consulting firm Mercer has been compiling a liveability index for cities.

This year, its survey spanned 450 cities. Singapore came in 28th, while Austrian capital Vienna topped the charts.

Singapore has held the top spot in Asia since it overtook Tokyo in 2004.

The Mercer survey ranks cities according to 39 factors, ranging from the ease of buying fresh fish for the table, to the reach of law enforcement. It is conducted by Mercer employees, together with partner firms and quality-of-life experts.

Multinational companies that relocate staff from one city to another use these findings to determine the appropriate amount of hardship allowance to pay their staff.

Naturally, the report concentrates on the needs and concerns of expats.

Those polled by Mercer say housing, education and banking services in Singapore are as good as they get.

In housing, however, their term of reference is likely to be the quality and upkeep of private housing, the choice for most expats, and not HDB homes. High-end estates popular with expats include areas in Tanglin, Bukit Timah and Newton.

As for education, what impresses expats is the wide choice of private and international schools on offer.

Parents can choose from a buffet that includes American, French, Swiss and Japanese schools. Others, like American investor Jim Rogers, 67, opt to send their children to good-quality local schools, so as to expose them to Mandarin.

Where money matters are concerned, expats value the ease with which they can access global banking services and exchange foreign currencies.

So what bothers expats about life here? The aspect that gets them literally hot under the collar is the climate.

Britain-born Lin Fou-Menuhin, 45, wishes the weather was cooler as he is 'very bad at handling the humidity'.

Apart from that quirk of destiny, which no government policy can remedy, two other factors that expats say impinge on their quality of life here are the lack of personal and press freedoms.

Another area Singapore failed to ace is in the range of recreational activities, with expats calling for more cultural exhibitions and museums, and a wider variety of theatrical and musical performances.

Mr Takahashi would also like to see more green spaces set aside for people to relax and play in.

If Singapore wants to better its 28th spot in the hotly contested race to be the world's most liveable city, Mercer's senior researcher Mariana Huston tells Insight that what it needs are more recreational activities, more room for personal freedom and less media censorship.

But experts say these rankings have their limitations.

Singapore Management University sociologist Chung Wai Keung says there is no objective way to measure what makes for a liveable city. He likens such surveys to university rankings, which should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Geography academic Pow Choon-Piew adds that these liveability surveys do not factor in what life is like for local residents, such as the urban poor.

Others argue that, in the light of climate change, the Mercer framework needs updating as it does not take into account growing interest in sustainability issues.

Two such issues that have come to the fore are recycling and cycling.

Urban development academic Shreekant Gupta notes that top-tier global cities like New York and Paris have declared car-free zones in key parts.

'It calms the city, not having cars, it makes the ambience different,' he says.

While Mercer's criteria have not changed, Ms Huston says its researchers now give greater consideration to sustainability issues when awarding scores.

As for Singapore, Dr Gupta says it too needs to go beyond what he calls 'first-generation issues', such as clean air and water, to excel in 'second-generation issues', such as being bicycle- and recycling-friendly.

That would bespeak its 'sophistication' and coming of age as a global city.

High Five
What expats love about Singapore
Straits Times 26 Jun 10;

1 PUBLIC SERVICES AND TRANSPORT

For American investor Jim Rogers, Singapore is a city where 'everything works'.

The tap water is safe to drink, local mail posted before 5pm is delivered the next working day, and you can get electric power at the flick of a switch.

Singapore also scores for the quality of its modern and efficient Mass Rapid Transit train system, which Mr Andrew Patterson, 36, a director at a digital advertising agency, describes as 'cheap and reliable'.

Road congestion, though, is a challenge. Transport planners are trying to keep that in check through an expanding Electronic Road Pricing system.

Singapore's excellent air links with the rest of the world are a big plus for foreigners who live here. Flights connecting the city state to some 200 destinations worldwide make it easy for globetrotters to explore and enjoy the exotic East, as well as travel for business.

UniSIM lecturer Frank Siegfried, 48, who hails from Germany, is a fan of national icons Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines. 'They have class, they have very high standards, and I like to be associated with them.'

2 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

In the Mercer survey, Singapore came up aces for access to global banking services and foreign currency exchange.

Many of the 11 expatriates Insight interviewed also praised its pro-business environment.

Entrepreneur Linda Fulford, 43, was pleasantly surprised at the ease with which she can explore partnerships with other companies based here.

'This is certainly not the case elsewhere in the world,' says the Briton, who has lived here for 13 years.

Ms Deborah Henretta, 49, Asia group president for consumer products giant Proctor & Gamble, adds: 'As a professional, I truly enjoy the business friendliness... and working in a country that respects and rewards innovation.'

A third aspect of the economy that expatriates find attractive is Singapore's ongoing efforts to grow new sectors such as new media, biotech and non-profit enterprises.

These efforts make Singapore 'an exciting place for a professional to be', says Londoner Lin Fou-Menuhin, 45, a director at beverage firm Diageo Asia-Pacific. He moved here from Hanoi five years ago.

3 SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Whether you are young or old, Singapore is a great place to get an education, so say expats living here.

Mr Siegfried, a father of two, loves the choice of international schools on offer. 'There are European and German schools, but I could also choose others such as United World College if I preferred,' says the entrepreneurship lecturer, who moved here in 1995.

The excellent standards of the public education system also mean expats have few qualms about enrolling their children in local schools. That is what Mr Rogers chose to do for his elder daughter, because he wanted her to learn Mandarin.

Since Singapore is also the region's education hub, it offers adult education opportunities aplenty.

Oregon native Mr Patterson found it was more affordable to pursue a University of Buffalo executive master of business administration degree with SIM Global Education here than in the United States.

Former businesswoman Zhang Xiao Qing, 32, who moved to Singapore with husband Mr Fou-Menuhin, is pursuing a bachelor's degree in fashion design.

4 POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

In the Mercer survey, this category encompasses factors such as ties with other countries, internal stability, crime, law enforcement and ease of entry and exit. Expats gave Singapore the thumbs up for all of them.

Mr Stephen Lewis, 52, an executive director in an investment bank, feels secure all round, 'from physical security, to low crime rates, to protection from crooked officials'.

For those constantly on the go like Mr Patrick Fiat, general manager of hotel Royal Plaza on Scotts, what matters most is seamless travel in and out of the country. 'Alighting from the plane and getting home takes just 30 minutes,' he says.

Singapore's ability to stay friends with neighbouring states, and resolve disputes peacefully, also counts in its favour.

5 HOUSING

It is hardly surprising that expatriates on generous housing allowances say the quality of housing here is 'excellent'.

After all, they can have their pick of the best homes in swanky districts such as Bukit Timah, Tanglin and the Holland Road area, where a number of international schools are also located.

But what Mr Siegfried appreciates are the affordable housing options for expatriates like him, who work for local organisations that do not foot the rent bill.

Not everyone has been as lucky. Mr Patterson has lived in a three-room HDB flat in Woodlands for over two years and hates it. 'It's small, cramped and has no character, but I didn't come here for the living conditions,' says the American, who will be moving to a bigger condominium unit next month.

Low Down
What expats take issue with
Straits Times 26 Jun 10;

1 SOCIO-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT

The Mercer survey highlighted personal and media freedom as two areas where Singapore has room for improvement.

Censorship bothers some expatriates who live here, as that limits the range of art performances and films on offer. Censorship rules are, however, reviewed regularly. The first major review since 2002 is now under way.

Expats like American Andrew Patterson hope to see even more liberalisation, which he thinks will signal intellectual progress.

He says: 'I wish there was more tolerance for what people are trying to express.'

2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Given that this tropical island is just one degree north of the equator, the only natural environment anyone can expect is a steamy one.

Newcomers have little choice but to adapt, or retreat to their air-conditioned offices and homes.

Expats like Mr Lin Fou-Menuhin say they find the humidity unbearable, but the sunshine and rain are pluses for businessman Takahashi Kenichi, 54, who dislikes cold Japanese winters.

A big plus point for Singapore, however, is its low susceptibility to natural disasters.

Earthquakes in nearby regions have so far triggered only tremors here, with no reported damage to buildings.

3 RECREATION

New Delhi native Shreekant Gupta, 50, puts it bluntly: 'Singapore is a very easy city to live in, but not necessarily a very fun city to live in.'

To a man, expats wish there were more options for fun and play here, beyond dining out or a lazy afternoon at the Botanic Gardens.

Dr Gupta and Mr Fou-Menuhin wish for a more exciting arts scene. Dr Gupta says: 'As the father of a 41/2-year-old, I'd like more non-mall-based places to go out to.

'The Jacob Ballas Children's Garden is a good start but there could be more.'

What Mr Takahashi misses about Japan are riverside barbecues and baseball games in the park. Those were his regular activities on weekends back home.

But with few green places large enough to accommodate those activities, he laments that weekends here have become somewhat 'boring'.

4 ECO-FRIENDLINESS

For citizens of a nation that prides itself on being a city in a garden, Singaporeans show a curious lack of eco-consciousness, says Dr Gupta.

'On campus, there is no recycling, and there is not enough emphasis on double-sided printing,' says Dr Gupta, who is based at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

German Frank Siegfried is troubled by the rapid destruction of green spaces to make way for development. He wishes Singaporeans had a greater appreciation for nature.

Recycling is not a factor on the Mercer list, but expats believe in the role it plays in the sustainability of the city.

Dr Gupta also wishes for a more bicycle-friendly city, a change which he says will not merely ease congestion, but also reduce air pollution and enhance public health.

Agreeing, American investor Jim Rogers, who takes his daughter to school on a bicycle, adds: 'Among the rankings of attractive cities, the cities that are ranked high are mostly bicycle-friendly.'

5 COST OF LIVING

Foreigners who have lived here since the 1990s can testify, as locals do, that prices of everything, from cars to homes to chocolate bars, have shot up.

Prices have risen in tandem with Singapore's bullish economic growth, and that is to be expected.

However, even expatriates are starting to find Singapore expensive.

Mr Siegfried, who has lived here for 15 years, says: 'I feel like we are being outpriced.'

How Mercer conducts its survey
Straits Times 26 Jun 10;

HUMAN resource consulting firm Mercer has been conducting the Quality of Living survey for more than 15 years, since 1994.

It uses a questionnaire developed by its professionals to gather data.

This is done together with some of its multinational clients and experts in quality-of-life research.

Each city is evaluated in terms of 39 factors, under broad categories such as housing and economic environment.

During the data collection phase, field researchers and consultants supply the initial data, as well as evaluations and comments for the reports.

Then, the data is reviewed and analysed at Mercer's regional centres.

The findings are then compared and controlled in the final stage by global analysts to ensure consistency across the cities surveyed.

The Quality Of Living reports cover about 450 cities globally.