Commentary: Singapore goes big on parental leave. Now for fathers and employers to step up
Inequality and Social Mobility|Managing the Challenges of an Ageing Society
Commentary: Singapore goes big on parental leave. Now for fathers and employers to step up

In his maiden National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 18), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled two initiatives that could prove transformative to families and society: Making mandatory four weeks of government-paid paternity leave and introducing a new 10-week shared parental leave scheme. When fully implemented on Apr 1, 2026, parental leave entitlement will total […]

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Policies alone cannot undo our zero-sum thinking
Inequality and Social Mobility
Policies alone cannot undo our zero-sum thinking

Merely avoiding competition is not enough. What’s needed is active pursuit of win-win solutions and outcomes to achieve a positive-sum society. Singapore’s hypercompetitive society underpinned by zero-sum thinking (your gain is necessarily my loss) cannot be overcome by the government, or policies. A quick recall of our nation’s short history already shows that opportunities have […]

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IPS-MHA Forum on Non-Violent Ethnic Hostilities
Managing Diversities
IPS-MHA Forum on Non-Violent Ethnic Hostilities

The IPS-MHA Forum on Non-Violent Ethnic Hostilities, held on July 1, brought together some 200 thought leaders, policymakers, and community representatives to discuss the spectrum of non-violent ethnic hostilities, specifically in the Asia Pacific region. Organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the forum is part of […]

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Dialogue with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
Governance of a City-State|Inequality and Social Mobility|Managing Diversities|Managing the Challenges of an Ageing Society
Dialogue with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong

On 2 July 2024, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong embarked on his first youth-centric dialogue since his inauguration as Prime Minister. Jointly organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Varsity Voices (VV) and the Singapore Management University (SMU), the event was attended by close to 900 students from various Institutes of […]

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Contestation and Collaboration: Politics in Singapore
Governance of a City-State
Contestation and Collaboration: Politics in Singapore

Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong who received the leadership mantle on 15 May 2024 from Lee Hsien Loong, is taking neither his position nor that of his party for granted. In an interview with The Economist on May 6, he said that Singaporeans want his People’s Action Party (PAP) to be in power but […]

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14th IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture III: “Sustainable and Resilient Trade: The Next Frontier?” by Mr Tan Chong Meng
Governance of a City-State
14th IPS-Nathan Lecture Series: Lecture III: “Sustainable and Resilient Trade: The Next Frontier?” by Mr Tan Chong Meng

The golden age of globalisation appears to be giving way to a new era defined by rising geopolitical tensions, technological disruptions and climate risks. These shifts are transforming the trade landscape, marked by trends of decoupling, friend-shoring and the growth of a green economy. Mr Tan Chong Meng delves into how recent developments are influencing […]

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Commentary: The tussle over TikTok isn’t just geopolitics
Governance of a City-State
Commentary: The tussle over TikTok isn’t just geopolitics

Last month, US President Joe Biden signed a Bill that would ban TikTok in the United States unless its China-based owner ByteDance divests from the social media platform. This move stemmed from fears that China could compel the platform to hand over the personal data of its 170 million American users to the Chinese government […]

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Key Assets for Successful Shared Governance Under New PM Wong
Governance of a City-State
Key Assets for Successful Shared Governance Under New PM Wong

Fourth Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong issued a strong rallying cry to Singaporeans to work with him and his team to continue to “defy the odds and sustain this miracle called Singapore” in his swearing-in speech on 15 May. PM Wong was clear-eyed about the external conditions our small city-state faces today. He pointed out […]

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Commentary: What Singaporeans may hope for from PM Lawrence Wong
Governance of a City-State
Commentary: What Singaporeans may hope for from PM Lawrence Wong

May 15, 2024, the date Singapore’s fourth prime minister took over the reins of government, will be one for the history books. But what will this mean for Singaporeans? Perhaps nothing momentous, since Singapore’s calling card to the world has been political stability. In fact, our political leadership probably hopes that this handover is as […]

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Both the US and China have fallen short in their quest to win over SE Asia
Governance of a City-State
Both the US and China have fallen short in their quest to win over SE Asia

Which country has greater influence in South-east Asia – China or the US? The answer to the question is not as straightforward as the question suggests. If we are to rely on surveys, the answer can hinge on the choice of participants and also the nature of influence we are talking about. Influence is also […]

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Political and governance impact of the case of S Iswaran pending the possibility of an appeal against his sentence

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IPS Commons was launched in 2012. It is a platform to promote and showcase rational discussion of public policy ideas in Singapore, so as to expand the intellectual space and increase the quality of public engagement on national issues. IPS Commons is managed by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), an autonomous think-tank at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

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