Singapore, True or False?

My perception of Singapore was largely shaped by the Michael Fay incident (linked for those who are too young to remember it) and the resulting media frenzy, and I suspect that's the case for many other Americans and Canadians.  I remember hearing about some of the city-state's strict laws and envisioning a place where no one (except rowdy ex-teens) broke the rules.  After spending four days in Singapore, how do my previous ideas about it stack up to reality?  Answers below.

It is extremely clean: Absolutely true.  I've been trying to think of other cities that are as clean as Singapore, and I can't think of one that comes close.  I can count on one hand how many pieces of litter I saw on the streets, and I didn't see any evidence of graffiti anywhere. 

It is illegal to chew gum: Not completely true.  It used to be illegal to import or sell gum in any and all forms, but recently exceptions were made for sugarless and nicotine gum.  However, even in the case of the sugarless variety, you can only buy gum over the counter from a pharmacist.  Yes, gum is a controlled substance.

Fines are large: True.  Singapore doesn't mess around.  If it's going to fine you, it's going to fine you big.  Fortunately, there are signs everywhere reminding you what is a fineable offense.  An example of the cost: littering is $500 to $1,000 for a first time offense, and can rise to $2,000 and a "Corrective Work Order" for a second offense. 

Nobody jaywalks: False.  There is a hefty fine for crossing the street within fifth meters of a crosswalk, but that doesn't stop most people.  Additionally, plenty of people cross the street at crosswalks before getting the green light.  This was a welcome change from New Zealand and Australia, where people sit at a crosswalk waiting for the "green man" to come on, even if there are no cars within sight.  There's something I don't quite trust about a culture that won't jaywalk - it's a little too Stepford Wives-ish. 

It is serious about its war on drugs: True.  As your customs card pleasantly reminds you, those convicted of drug trafficking can be put to death.  And they will follow through on that.

It is a shopping hub: True.  In some aspects, Singapore 'out-wests' the west, and shopping is definitely one of those aspects.  Walk down Orchard Road, and you'll pass one huge shopping complex after another (I counted at least fifteen - no exaggeration).  These malls seemingly are mostly filled with luxury stores, including Gucci, Dolce and Gabana, Valentino,  Rolex, Armani and many others that I had never heard of but Magge assured me are expensive.  Most of these luxury brands are in multiple locations along this road, often in malls right next to each other.  Oh yeah, and the city's two largest malls aren't even on Orchard Road.

It has a great zoo: True.  It's not particularly large, measuring only 0.28 square kilometers, but has a terrific design and a nice variety of animals.  Most animals are kept in open enclosures rather than in cages, so animals don't look quite as depressed as they normally do in zoos, and some monkeys roam freely.  We saw some animals we hadn't even heard of, like the babirusa and the maned wolf. 

A long-tailed macaque taking a nap on a sign telling us about long-tailed macaques