Bloomberg lists 16 live funds that track the STI or otherwise use it as their main benchmark. Their performance to date ranges from very bad to very good:

The above figures in total returns (and therefore probably manager fees) but does not figure in front end loads. Sadly enough the best performing fund has been the GAM Singapore/Malaysia Fund, which perhaps shows the benefits of international diversification. Only 4 of the 16 (GAM, Aberdeen, the 2 UOB funds) outperform the STI over their lifetimes, and the SUT Savings Fund returns only about 28% of the STI’s total return.

Using ETFs?

I do have some good news though – it seems like the 2 STI ETFs are doing their job:

And with a manager fee of 0.2% for the DBS (no CPFIS) and 0.3% for the SPDR (CPFIS permitted) and no front/back load it ...