SINGAPORE: A scientist who made the move from the United States told YouTuber Max Chernov that the efficiency of how things work in Singapore has given him more time with his family, marveling at the ease of doing such things as filing taxes, which he said took all of five minutes.
Mr Chernov posted his interview with Dean Ho, the Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the National University of Singapore on Tuesday (May 21). Dr Ho told the YouTuber that moving to Singapore has lifted a weight off of his shoulders.
He talked about how impressed he was with how “super helpful” the staff at agencies have been in helping him figure out the various official procedures necessary for life in Singapore, something that he has written back to the agencies about with praise.
“To plainly put it, it’s refreshing,” Dr Ho said.
Noting that living away from one’s country allows people to examine policies back home from a different perspective, he added that he appreciates how in Singapore, leaders spend time consulting with people. In the US, which is much bigger than Singapore, this is very different.
“The safety, stability, and trust in government have felt like a weight off my shoulders while living here,” he added, saying that when he wakes up in the morning he’s grateful for the security and community he and his family have.
In contrast, he said that when he lived—or even visited—the US, he felt unsafe.
Dr Ho, for whom health and nutrition are important topics, told Mr Chernov that in his line of work, he and his team are beginning to work with restaurants to look for swaps that can be made to make meals healthier while keeping food tasty and prices accessible.
When asked if he has been able to work with policymakers in Singapore, Dr Ho said yes, and noted that not only had they been receptive, but actions resulted from conversations he’s had with different leaders.
For instance, he talked about a COVID drug optimization platform.
“The policymakers studied it with us and directly linked us with those who could validate it. That’s real action,” he said.
On a lighter note, Dr Ho also talked to Mr Chernow about the traffic in Los Angeles, where he’s from. He said that when he first came to Singapore, he used to arrive 45 minutes early to meetings, in large part because anticipating traffic was already in “his DNA.”
In one instance, one meeting he attended was running late and he thought that he would be late for his next meeting. However, a Grab was already at the place where he was and was able to make it to his next meeting, with seven minutes to spare.
Watch Dr Ho’s interview below:
/TISG