Rules & Civil Conduct, Singapore

Singapore is known all over the world for being one of the cleanest (and least corrupt!) countries. I was also amazed when I first came here more than a couple of years ago. It's clean and orderly. A friend, who's a local, told me that it's not clean as it's used to. Before, there were really no cigarette butts on the street, no wrappers and, really, no spitting is allowed. Now, it's not that strict anymore.

Good thing something is being done to control the increasing population of litterbugs here. There was an informative article in The Straits Times describing the qualities of (potential and existing) litterbugs and discouraging the public from further destroying the surroundings. It was also on the news. So it's time to clean up your act and follow rules. Designated rubbish bins are everywherer. You are not going to miss them.

Singapore is not clean as you think or as you see. I m saying that because I m living here
as a foreigner. All tourists see the hotels shopping centres and bussiness places.
But When you come to accomidation places , Terrible.
They say no spitting , no urine , no littering,

If you want to see that with your eyes just come hdb houses place at weekend
especially sundays and just watch the people what they are doing.

They are spitting , littering even urine to lifts at apartments.

Could you believe that the goverment to stop this people hang some plates to lifts that says
this lift monitoring with a urine detector camera.... :)
If you dont believe you just take a lift in clementi area in singapore.
You will see with your eyes.

People are eating at metro stations. And unfortuanetly they are singaporeans.

Does it mean the rules in singapore is for tourists?

I thought this picture is a good expression of Singapore. People can walk freely even till 10pm without fear and enjoy the beautiful sunflowers without graffiti and litters. But look behind! The thick bars of security gates that surrounded Suntec City during the IMF 2006 convention showed you how much Singapore Government emphasis on security and conformation of law and order. If you infringed the law to spoil the peace of the society, the government has no qualms of punishing you. You are free to walk but please obey the traffic rules. You can even be punished when you disregard your own safety and more severe punishment if you disregard others' as well. Well, there are two ways to see a half-filled cup:)

Singapore might be very strict but due to that I must say that Singapore is very safe and very clean. You may not cross the road if the robot is not green and you may not run across the road anywhere or might get a fine for J-walking. Chewing gum is a big no no. I think you allowed 1 pack of gum and thats it when you enter Singapore. You are only allow to smoke in certain areas. The Big No No is drugs , yep just like in Malaysia and Indonesia its punishable by death. Make sure to take note of these signs in the lifts ,trains and wherever you are in Singapore of the Rules and Regulation and just abide by it.

As a Singaporean, I am used to living in a clean, safe and orderly society where rules and regulations prevail. It is because of the existence of these rules and their enforcement by incorruptible officials that Singapore is among the safest cities in the world.
The tourist in Singapore does not have to worry about pickpockets that roam the streets of Rome and Barcelona, the hell drivers in Shanghai, and violent crimes in big cities in the US. It is perfectly safe to take the subway and to walk in the streets at night.

Smoking is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN in public buildings, governement offices, MRT stations, bus interchanges, elevators, shopping centres, air-conditioned restaurants, taxis, buses & theatres. Offenders can be fined up to S$1,000. Bars & discos are not yet restricted to smoke. Bringing in cigarettes to Singapore is a chargeable offence. Unofficially, you may bring in one packet of cigarettes to Singapore for personal consumption. Otherwise, you'll get a hefty fine for smuggling cigarettes. First-time offenders face a fine of up to S$1,000. For repeat offenders-- it's a fine of up to S$2,000 and a Corrective Work Order (CWO).

Another example of twisting the truth. Chewing gum is not a crime in Singapore, and neither is possession for personal use. You cannot bring in large quantities of gum to Singapore (it would be assumed you were selling it, which is a crime). You cannot spit your gum out on the street or stick it under the seat on the bus (this is common sense, people). In any case, I don't believe that you can go to jail for any offense related to gum (unless you kill someone with it). Generally, there is just a fine.

The local t-shirts proclaim, `Singapore is a Fine City' You can be fined for possession of chewing gum, for smoking in public, for carrying flammable liquids on the subway, etc. First-time offenders face a fine of up to S$1,000. For repeat offenders-- it's a fine of up to S$2,000 and a Corrective Work Order (CWO).
The culprit-in-cheif seems to be Chewing gum. The import, sale and possession of chewing gum is banned. You are also not allowed to bring in chewing gum for your own consumption. American teenager Michael Fay learned his lesson the hard way, in 1994, when he spray-painted cars as a prank.
Drug traffickers face the death penalty.