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Responsive Government |
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Singapore boasts one of the most stable societies in Asia. Its many racial and religious groups live cheek by jowl happily and harmoniously, united in the common effort to keep Singapore prosperous and growing.
Democratic elections are held every five years, and are contested by several political parties. A number of uniquely Singaporean political channels, such as Non-Constituency Members of Parliament, Nominated Members of Parliament, and the Feedback Unit, ensure that alternative views get raised and debated.
Singapore welcomes visitors of all kinds, and is particularly keen to attract foreign talent able to contribute to the nation's development and growth.
Surveys often identify Singapore as one of Asia's most politically stable countries.
When there are unexpected developments such as the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, the rise of terrorism since September 2001, and the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak of 2003, Singapore's administration responds rapidly and decisively.
Economic crises are followed by extensive reviews of Singapore's policies and programmes, and appropriate adjustments are made as quickly as possible. With non-economic crises, protective and preventive measures are swiftly taken.
The SARS outbreak, for instance, saw Singapore closing schools for two weeks to eliminate the possibility, however slim, of the disease spreading in classrooms. A special sitting of Parliament was held to enact a law allowing the government to impose the home quarantine on anyone known to have been exposed to SARS.
Singapore was the first country in Asia to join the US in its Container Security Initiative, a move to screen US-bound containers for any terrorist threat.
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