SINGAPORE — As Singaporeans’ expectations of the country rise, the Republic will draw on lessons from other cities to make Singapore a better home by providing affordable housing and reliable public transport, adding green spaces and strengthening social capital, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (June 1).

The country will do this by studying other cities carefully to learn from their experience, such as looking at London’s public transport system and Copenhagen’s downtown parks.

Mr Lee made those remarks in a speech at the opening ceremony of the World Cities Summit, Singapore International Water Week and Cleanenviro Summit Singapore.

In his speech, he also outlined how Singapore will harness technology to become a smarter nation, such as using data to improve sustainability by managing power consumption.

Thirdly, the country will strengthen citizens’ ownership by engaging them on Singapore’s future. This, he said, can be facilitated by technology such as crowdsourcing and location-based services.

Examples of such engagement already exist, said the Prime Minister, highlighting how citizens and Government are working together to preserve nature in Pulau Ubin through the Ubin Project.

So far, the Government has taken the long view when it comes to developing Singapore as a liveable and sustainable city, he said, where plans are made over generations and implemented over several electoral terms.