It's the land which inspired the Crazy Rich Asian film after all. So obviously Singapore has an edge over its neighbors, right?

Here are reasons why the smallest yet one of the most advanced countries in the world is better than its rival up north, Malaysia.

PS: It's pretty hard to dispute when you know these facts.

1. Singapore's arts and culture are at an international level.

Brie Larson happily poses at a Captain Marvel promo event in Singapore as a protest takes place 593 kilometres away in Penang, Malaysia. IMAGE: CelebMafia / The Malaymail Online

The same day Brie Larson visited Singapore to promote the Captain Marvel film, in Malaysia a bunch of protesters got together to protest the staging of a theater piece they deemed was offensive and disrespectful. Perhaps this is why many bands and artistes skip Malaysia and head straight to Singapore.

These two contrasting incidences are already proof as to why Singapore is so far ahead when it comes to the arts and culture. Heck, the country's artistic talents are pretty creative too. Some can be bold like this artist who turned Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad into a Starcraft character. What talent does Malaysia have apart from its former prime minister turned singer?

As Malaysia languishes far behind despite its plethora of talent, the investment the Singaporean government has made in the art scene is finally paying off. Just ask Kevin Kwan.

2. On point marketing when it comes to Singaporean lifestyle.

Sure The Bachelor might have drawn the ire from Singaporeans but there's a reason why the country was picked.

As Malaysia continues to figure out ways to resolve its RM1 trillion (US$251 billion) debt, Singapore is already raking in cash through clever marketing strategies to rope in more tourists.



Heck, as Malaysian Airlines got lambasted for publishing an image of what was thought to be pork, Singaporean Airlines was ranked the best airlines in the world.

Sure, there are ongoing debates if Malaysian food being better than Singapore's, yet there is one clear winner here. Singapore. The tiny island nation has been hard at work marketing their food and the lifestyle that the nation offers to privileged tourists. And they're good at it.

Have you seen how Malaysia markets itself to tourists? It's no wonder they're in huge debt.

3. One of the best places for expatriates to make a living.

Yet, some keep confusing it with Malaysia.

I'm not saying this. HSBC's latest annual Expat Explorer survey is saying it. As Singapore grows economically stronger, more Malaysians are gradually flocking to the country to find work.

Sure, living in the island nation might be a little costly but Singapore makes up for it by having one of the best public transportation systems in the world.

Most importantly, Singapore has the fastest internet. What's Malaysia's speed again?



4. Among the best when it comes to education.

The National University of Singapore is the best in Southeast Asia. IMAGE: The Straits Times

Can Malaysia even top its rival? Singapore is clearly the undisputed champion here.



While Malaysia's Education Minister has some brilliant ideas, Singaporean students already have a head start when it comes to sexual education - something which Malaysia clearly lacks.

Due to the lack of quality in education, you also have some Malaysian member of parliaments urging folks to not support anti-racism conventions because of Freemasons. Yes, that escalated quickly.

5. It's the innovation hub of the world.

Meet the world's second most innovative company.

Sure Grab was founded by a Malaysian but because it's in Singapore, it is now the second most innovative company in the world.

Speaking of innovations, Singapore's National Heritage Board and National Parks Board even created an augmented reality app to educate folks about its rich history and culture in a pretty fun and cool way.

What innovative stuff does Malaysia have? Oh, this.

6. Singaporeans are bred to be competitive. Very competitive.

For many Singaporeans, it's all thanks to this man.

Singaporeans are a competitive bunch. This explains why they're so good in making money. Just ask this taxi tour service which did just that by offering sight seeing packages to Pokémon trainers to travel, catch, trade and battle.

Don't get me started about that dude who hoards vintage stuff only to turn his house into a mini museum to earn some extra cash.

Our guess is, it could be down to discipline. In Singapore, even if you're a talented football player who could potentially play for an English Premier league club, it matters less if you skipped your National Service.



Damn. Singapore, you're really an overachiever.



Cover image sourced from Forbes and Study Malaysia.