Singapore (SG)

Handshakes are standard in professional settings. When meeting Malay Muslim women, wait for them to extend their hand first — some prefer to nod and place a hand on the heart. Chinese Singaporeans may greet with "Have you eaten?" (a friendly expression of care, not a literal question). Business cards are exchanged with both hands and a slight bow in formal settings — receive cards respectfully and read them before putting them away.

Punctuality is expected in professional settings. For social gatherings, 5–10 minutes late is common and accepted. Government appointments and medical appointments: arrive 10–15 minutes early as queuing is necessary. Singaporeans are generally punctual for business — being significantly late without notice is considered disrespectful.

Smart casual for most restaurants and social settings. Religious sites (temples, mosques, churches) require covered shoulders and knees — scarves are often available at mosque entrances. Shorts and T-shirts are fine at hawker centres, malls, and beaches. Air-conditioned offices tend toward business casual or formal; tech companies may be more relaxed. Formal wear is expected for evening events at hotels and private members clubs.

• ✕ Littering is illegal and fined (S$300 for first offence, up to S$5,000 for repeat offenders with Corrective Work Orders); Singapore takes this seriously
• ✕ Chewing gum is banned from import and sale (except nicotine gum from pharmacies and therapeutic gum from dentists); importing large quantities is a criminal offence
• ✕ Eating or drinking on MRT trains, buses, and in MRT stations: S$500 fine; no exceptions for water
• ✕ Jaywalking within 50m of a designated crossing when traffic is present: S$20–50 fine
• ✕ Feeding birds, pigeons, or monkeys in public areas: S$500 fine
• ✕ Drug offences carry severe mandatory penalties — trafficking thresholds above 15g of heroin, 30g of cocaine, or 500g of cannabis carry the mandatory death penalty under the Misuse of Drugs Act
• ✕ Public nudity and obscene behaviour: criminal offence
• ✕ Making racially or religiously inflammatory remarks: criminal offence under the Sedition Act and Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act

• ✓ "Chope" (reserve) a hawker centre table by leaving a packet of tissues on the seat before queuing — this universally understood local custom means "this seat is taken"
• ✓ "Kiasu" (Hokkien: fear of losing out) is a recognised national trait — expect competitive queuing for popular food stalls, good deals, and limited-edition items
• ✓ Singlish is the local creole — a mix of English, Hokkien, Malay, and Tamil with distinctive particles: "lah" (friendliness/emphasis), "leh" (uncertainty/softening), "lor" (resignation), "can" (yes/OK), "cannot" (not possible), "paiseh" (embarrassed). Speaking standard English is perfectly normal; understanding Singlish takes a few weeks
• ✓ Singapore is extremely safe — walking alone at night, using public transport at any hour, leaving belongings on café tables, and trusting strangers are all normal
• ✓ Remove shoes before entering homes — standard across all ethnic communities; look for a shoe rack outside the door as your cue
• ✓ Tipping is not customary and not expected — restaurants add 10% service charge + 9% GST automatically. Additional tipping is entirely optional
• ✓ Cash gifts in red envelopes (ang baos) are given at Chinese New Year and weddings; duit raya at Hari Raya Aidilfitri; deepavali gifts may include sweets or flowers. Always give in even amounts and avoid numbers associated with bad luck (4 = death in Chinese)
• ✓ Singapore celebrates all four major ethnic/religious festivals as public holidays — participation and respect across all communities is a source of national pride and social cohesion