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SINGAPOREANS want the Government to take a more proactive and consultative approach to setting priorities and making decisions, and be accountable for public spending, according to a survey released on Monday.
The survey, conducted by Accenture Institute for Public Service Value, also showed that they want the Government to help the people take greater personal responsibility and plan ahead for their own future security.
These are the key findings from Accenture's Global City Forum, which brought together 60 to 80 residents in each of eight international cities - London, Sydney, Singapore, Berlin, New York, Paris, Madrid and Los Angeles.
They were asked to discuss public service issues, such as health, education, affordable living, public safety, public transportation, and the environment.
During the Singapore forum held in August last year, the 60 participants said they were generally happy with the public services, with 83 per cent expressing satisfaction with the services they get.
This was the most positive response by participants from all the eight cities in the survey.
Asked to rate Singapore as a place to live and work, 23 per cent of participants described Singapore as 'world class', while 52 per cent rated it as 'fairly good'.
This result placed Singapore on par with New York and Los Angeles, and above the European cities in the survey.
But the Singapore participants also raised concerns about the rise in the cost of living, with 33 per cent saying it is the top challenge facing the country.
On the relationship with the Government, they said the people should have a greater say in how to improve life in Singapore, They also wanted to see a more consultative relationship between people and their government.
On healthcare, many participants said that Medishield and Medifund are too restrictive and felt hat the Government should do more.
They added that it should help to educate people to change their way of life in order to stay healthier for longer and thereby reduce pressures on the health system.
The Singapore participants also wanted more value from the money they pay through taxation and expect the Government to show tangible improvements in services. They also called for greater accountability over public spending and avoiding increasing taxes whenever possible.
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