Group 3
Hoe Qing Xiang Janan
Karma Yangzom
Qian Enkui
So Somarika
Yeoh Ai Shan, Alison
Title: Navigating the Limits of Sustainability: Assessing Singapore’s Path to Net-Zero through Renewable Energy, Green Transport, and Infrastructure under the Green Plan 2030
Abstract
This project analyses the implementation and challenges of Singapore’s 2030 Green Plan, with a particular focus on the Energy Reset pillar, comprising renewable energy, green transport, and green infrastructure. Despite Singapore’s land scarcity, reliance on energy imports, and a densely built urban landscape, Singapore has operationalised key low-carbon initiatives. These include large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaics and grid-scale battery storage, the establishment of a regional clean energy import framework and the accelerated electrification of private and public transport. These developments are underpinned by robust public-private partnerships, proactively regulatory frameworks and targeted fiscal mechanisms.
Nonetheless, Singapore’s 2030 Green Plan faces several uncertainties. It’s long term viability hinges on the successful integration of emerging technologies, such as green hydrogen, smart grids and small modular nuclear reactors. Many of which remain unproven at scale. Sociopolitical risks, including weakening global climate leadership, rising trade protectionism, and domestic concerns over cost, safety and equity, further complicate implementation. Financial pressures arising from infrastructure inflation, supply chain disruptions and capital intensity may also impede progress. In addition, public acceptance of disruptive technologies and carbon pricing remains uncertain, posing a potential barrier to behavioural change and policy continuity.
Despite these hurdles, Singapore’s strategy reflects a clear-eyed understanding of its structural limitations and systemic strengths. This project contends that while certain constraints, such as land scarcity, are likely to remain binding, others can be mitigated through sustained innovation, regional energy cooperation, and adaptive regulatory governance. Singapore’s anticipatory planning, flexible policy instruments, and whole of nation coordination provide a credible pathway toward long-term sustainability. Ultimately, success will depend on political resolve, technological breakthroughs and inclusive strategies that equitably distribute green dividends. The findings offer critical insights into how compact, resource-constrained nations can navigate the complex politics and economics of climate action in an increasingly volatile world.
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Group 4
Ajay Yeshwanth Varthamanan
Bell Oudamketya
Lai Phui Ching
Shashank Manohar Deogadkar
Xu Yan
Yuen Hui Shan Vivien
Title: Urban Transformation in Mumbai: Building Sustainable and Inclusive Communities for the Future
Abstract
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) stands as a vital economic hub for Maharashtra, India, and one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Driven by rapid economic development and population expansion, MMR faces growing contestation for urban spaces which has intensified its exposure to environmental vulnerabilities such as ecological degradation and climate-related risks, while simultaneously exacerbating social inequity and spatial exclusion. In a governance landscape marked by multiple agencies with limited mechanisms for meaningful citizen participation, MMR continues to face challenges in advancing integrated, forward-looking, and participatory urban planning – despite government efforts to address the intertwined environmental and social challenges over the years.
Spanning a vast and diverse geography, the MMR encompasses areas at varying stages of urban development – from dense, built-up core areas to neglected and underutilised spaces. Among these, mangroves and wetlands constitute the largest category of open space in the city, and represent an area of immense, yet largely untapped, potential that serves as critical ecological buffers and presents opportunities for inclusive public spaces that connect people with nature. The spatial heterogeneity within the MMR calls for differentiated strategies of urban transformation that consider current local realities while envisioning future possibilities to build more sustainable and inclusive communities. Central to our approach is a planning framework grounded in three principles: (i) strengthening governance foundations to enable coordinated planning and citizen participation, (ii) harnessing the multi-functionality of urban spaces to deliver environmental, social and economic value, and (iii) embedding nature-based solutions to restore ecological balance and integrate communities. This project aims to examine the gaps in the existing government interventions and draw lessons from international urban development models to develop innovative solutions that help reimagine and transform the urban spaces within MMR, addressing its institutional, environmental and social challenges in a holistic manner.
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Group 5
Ang Li Jun Eunice
Mahiro Kanae
Suh Hyun Joung
Tan Pei Jun Abigail
Zhang Long
Title: Click, Earn, Tax: How the World Handles Enforcement of Digital Economy Taxes And What Singapore Can Learn
Abstract
The rapid growth of Singapore’s digital economy has significantly reshaped its fiscal landscape. As digital consumption becomes more pervasive, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has emerged as a critical pillar of revenue generation and tax equity. However, non-compliance among overseas vendors (OVs) has introduced complex enforcement challenges that threaten revenue integrity, distort market competition, and erode trust in Singapore’s rules-based tax regime.
This paper applies Wu et al.’s (2015) policy capacity framework to evaluate Singapore’s enforcement approach. It finds that Singapore exhibits strong political, analytical and operational capacity through its design-first approach, inter-agency coordination, risk-based analytics, and policy co-design. Yet, structural limitations remain. These include limited extraterritorial reach, vendor traceability, and dependence on platform cooperation, factors that weaken deterrence and public accountability.
A review of enforcement models from Australia, Chile, China, the European Union, France, Japan, and South Korea reveals a global shift toward hybrid strategies that integrate multiple enforcement tools. These combine intermediary liability, reverse charge mechanisms, AIdriven detection, reputational sanctions, and conditional market access restrictions, signalling a broader trend toward more proactive, layered approach to digital tax enforcement. This evolving landscape underscores the need for Singapore to explore stronger institutional levers and cross-border enforcement mechanisms to future-proof its regime.
To address these gaps and safeguard fiscal resilience, the paper proposes a suite of calibrated, forward-looking policy options tailored to Singapore’s economic, legal and institutional context. Key recommendations include enhancing AI-enabled real-time monitoring, expanding bilateral and multilateral data-sharing arrangements, and introducing targeted enforcement tools such as public disclosures, conditional payment withholding, and access restrictions for persistently non-compliant OVs. Together, these measures offer a flexible, scalable roadmap to protect its revenue base, uphold its culture of voluntary compliance, and preserve trust in its tax system, while remaining responsive to the evolving risks of a rapidly digitising global economy.
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Group 6
Adrian Ng Wei Liang
Lauren Ooi
Ishoo Ratna Srivastav
Ma. Ricca Pearl Silva Sulit
Siew Kwok Siong
Title: From Risk to Resilience: Adapting to Climate Change in Bangkok
Abstract
Bangkok faces an intensifying climate crisis, with rising sea levels, heavier rainfall, and land subsidence combining to make large parts of the city increasingly uninhabitable. Without urgent and innovative adaptation, projections suggest over 6 million residents and more than 40% of the city could be at risk of severe flooding by 2050. While the government has invested in drainage upgrades and flood defences, the fragmented development of urban infrastructure, high population density, and loss of natural water-absorbing land have reduced the effectiveness of such efforts.
This project proposes a paradigm shift in flood adaptation: a decentralisation and pre-emptive relocation strategy that creates satellite cities around Greater Bangkok to reduce urban pressure on the capital and shift populations out of flood-prone zones. This relocation concept plan is underpinned by four enablers: participatory public engagement, inclusive economic development, education and skills training, and resilient infrastructure. It not only offers a practical response to climate-induced risks, but also a broader opportunity to reimagine urban development, equity, and liveability in Thailand’s future.
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Group 7
Ivhong Ung
Jhon Billy Epindonta Meliala
Md Shahnur Alam Shikder
Siv Vises
Tenzin Norbu
Title: Building a Sustainable Electricity Future in South Asia: Policy Approaches and Regional Cooperation, with Insights from the ASEAN Region
Abstract
South Asia is at an important crossroads in its energy transition, facing rising electricity demand, fossil fuel dependence, infrastructural constraints, and the growing threat of climate change. This paper examines how the BBIN subregion – comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal – can build a sustainable electricity future through policy innovation and regional cooperation. The paper draws lessons from Southeast Asia's experience.
South Asia’s power sector faces significant challenges, including limited investments, aging infrastructure, the elite capture problem, fragmented policies, and, in some countries, limited renewable energy potential. Moreover, limited intergovernmental trust and policy misalignment hinder regional energy cooperation.
On the other hand, Southeast Asia has made notable progress in regional integration through initiatives like the ASEAN Power Grid and the ASEAN Centre for Energy. In addition, some ASEAN countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand, have shown significant progress towards renewable energy through innovative domestic policies.
The paper outlines a set of policy proposals for BBIN countries. National policy proposals include tailored feed-in tariffs, smart grid upgrades, green finance, and support for cleantech. Developing a power market roadmap, strengthening regional grid connections, and green financing tools are among the proposed regional initiatives. However, successful regional integration requires enhancing political trust and policy alignment through institutional capacity building and energy diplomacy.
A sustainable electricity transition is imperative for South Asia’s economic growth, energy security, and climate action. It is in the best interest of these countries to strengthen regional cooperation, alongside promoting innovative policy approaches, given their strong potential to complement each other.
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Group 8
Laurence Liaw
Noraffendy Bin Abd Khalid
Humayun Qaisar
Muhammad Yaneez Khan Nojib
Ayidh Mesfer A Alyami
Title: Bridging the Healthcare Gap – National Health Insurance for Low-Income Malaysians
Abstract
Malaysia’s dual-tier healthcare system, though committed to universal health coverage, reveals persistent inequities in access and affordability, especially among low-income and rural populations. Public healthcare, while subsidized, is increasingly strained by overcrowding and long waiting times, while private services remain financially out of reach for most. The rising burden of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure and the uneven distribution of healthcare infrastructure further exacerbates these disparities, particularly in East Malaysia.
This study explores the potential of a National Health Insurance (NHI) model as a transformative solution to bridge the healthcare gap in Malaysia. By pooling financial risks and implementing a progressive contribution system, an NHI framework can offer equitable access, reduce OOP burdens and enhance financial sustainability. Drawing from regional examples: Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) in Thailand, Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN) in Indonesia and the PhilHealth in Philippines. This project highlights best practices and pitfalls to inform Malaysia’s path forward.
Through comparative policy analysis, stakeholder engagement strategies and implementation roadmaps, the study recommends a phased rollout of NHI supported by strong public-private partnerships, digital health infrastructure and targeted subsidies for informal sector workers. Financial sustainability mechanisms, such as employer-employee contributions and sin taxes, are also examined.
Ultimately, the research argues that with sufficient political commitment and strategic governance, Malaysia can design a resilient and inclusive health insurance system that promotes equity, economic productivity and better health outcomes for all, regardless of income or geography. This project contributes to ongoing policy discourse on healthcare reform and supports national objectives for a fairer and more sustainable health financing framework.
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Group 11
Benjamin Penkumwine Abu
Jawaria Irfan
Mohammad Nawwar Faiq Bin Mohamad Moh
Muhammad Hafizullah Lubis
Muhammad Imran Ramzan
Title: Exploring the Potential of Singapore’s Specialised Independent Schools Model to Promote Equitable and Diverse Educational Streams in Public and Affordable Private Schools
Abstract
Pakistan, with a population of approximately 240 million, has an education system characterized by stark contrasts. While elite private schools deliver world-class education, public schools and low-fee private institutions lack diversified educational pathways, particularly for talented students wishing to specialize from a young age after primary education. Responding to the need for educational reforms aligned with 21st-century global market demands, this capstone project investigates the potential implementation of Specialised Independent Schools (SIS), inspired by Singapore’s successful education model. Current government initiatives to integrate STEAM education into mainstream curricula represent progress; however, our analysis reveals these alone are insufficient to achieve systemic improvements or fully harness the potential of Pakistani youth.
The proposed dual-pathway model allows students completing primary education to either continue mainstream education or enter specialized tracks in SIS, initially focusing on Science and Technology. The strategy leverages existing District Public Schools (DPS), converting them into SIS rather than building new institutions. DPS already have robust governance structures and administrative capacities, providing cost-effective platforms for this transformation.
Through policy analysis, comparative educational frameworks, and stakeholder engagement, this project assesses the feasibility, scalability, and governance implications of SIS integration within Pakistan’s educational framework. Our findings support establishing a focused-learning system, collaboratively designed with academia and private-sector partners, to significantly improve educational outcomes and equip students with specialized, market-relevant skills. The study concludes with recommended phased implementation strategies, policy adjustments, comprehensive teacher training, and robust public-private collaborations ensuring sustainability and equitable access.
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