With adages such as "low crime does

With adages such as "low crime doesn't mean no crime", the Singapore government is out to protect the country from the gum-chewing scum of the universe - literally. Ironically, the much-publicized gum ban has done little to stop Singaporeans from actually chewing the stuff - over in neighboring Johor Bahru, Malaysia, sales of Wrigley's and Bubble Yum must have quadrupled, as gum has become the No 1 "cool item to buy for friends when traveling abroad". And because only the ban on therapeutic gum (ie, the kind that helps one quit smoking) has been lifted, 7-Elevens and gas stations across the causeway will continue making a killing on chewing gum and other frivolous items.
But while the gum ban may have failed to reduce the number of gum-chewing individuals, it has been utterly successful at keeping the country clean (one will be hard pressed to find leftover gum marks on public property). And perhaps that's Singapore's best-kept secret: some of its seemingly eccentric and over-the-top rules and regulations do achieve what the government intends, cleanliness, even if they don't stop people from chewing gum.