Donaldson Tan
The Online Citizen met Young Democrat Jarrod Luo for a chat. He is the Honorary Secretary of the Young Democrats, the youth wing of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
Jarrod is a young man blessed with intelligence and confidence. He graduated from the University of Queensland with a degree in Biomedical Science and Microbiology and is currently an entrepreneur.
The Young Democrats was formed in 2000 and it is a member of the Young Liberals and Democrats in Asia (YLDA). It is the 2nd oldest political party youth wing in Singapore, after Young PAP.
His association with SDP begun when SDP contested in his ward Sembawang GRC in 2006. Like many others in his ward, he was an excited young man who was privileged to exercise his voting right for the first time.
This privilege was a source of empowerment for him, considering that many Singaporeans are unable to exercise their voting right due to the extent of GRC walkovers in Singapore.
When he was furthering his studies in Australia, he observed how active Australians were in their political participation on issues that affected their lives. “It set me thinking why their country can strive and flourish in an overall orderly manner despite the substantial difference in level of freedom between Singapore and Australia,” he said. This is a huge contradiction to PAP’s claim that unfettered freedom leads to anarchy and chaos.
Jarrod’s initial contact subsequently led to increased involvement with the Singapore Democratic Party. “SDP must be doing something if PAP is so aggressive towards SDP,” he said. Jarrod aims to help youths regain ownership of their country through participation of activities organised by the Young Democrats. Activities include community service, outreach to the marginalised segments of society and advocacy on issues of public interest.
The YD is also involved in organising the monthly Pow Wow meetings that take place on the 3rd Friday of every month. It is an informal gathering of friends and associates to share issues and concerns. There is no specific agenda as SDP respects diversity. “The diversity of views at the SDP is underpinned by a democratic framework of engagement,” he said. This framework allows the SDP to scrutinise an issue from multiple angles.
On the national level, the democratic framework consists of the following: (a) free media; (b) free and fair election; (c) active civil society; (d) social justice and equality. These components form a consistent theme in SDP’s political struggle over the years. This can be observed in SDP’s activities such as human rights advocacy, the Tak Boleh Tahan Campaign and the Campaign Against Repression and Exploitation of Singaporeans (CARES) 2008.
Jarrod looks forward to future collaboration with youth wings of other opposition political parties. “Youth wings do not have any historical and emotional baggage which their main parties suffer from,” he said. As such, youth wings are potential platforms for opposition parties to engage each other from a clean slate. Potential collaboration includes joint participation with civil society and co-organising national youth conferences on issues that impact Singapore.
“Opposition in Singapore is so fragmented. They are caught up in petty feuds and spare no efforts to continue these feuds. In the end, it is the people who will suffer because PAP will seize the opportunity to divide and conquer the Opposition,” lamented a very concerned Jarrod. If party elders impart their political experience to the youth wing members without passing on the feud, then the future political leaders rising from the youth wings would be able to lead their party without bias. In this way, the people of Singapore would be better served by the Opposition.
On youth apathy, he said, “Apathy is a testimony to the State’s fear against change. The so-called apathy is an unnatural state artificially engineered.” According to Jarrod, there is an attempt to indoctrinate the population by imposing a collective mindset on the citizenry while isolating concerned youth. No wonder concerned youths feel lonely and helpless in their endeavour in looking out for the concern of society. “Youths have always been at the forefront of political change,” reminded Jarrod while citing examples of May Fourth Movement and the 1998 student occupation of the Indonesian Parliament that led to the resignation of President Suharto.
Jarrod further elaborated, “Fortunately, youths have access to New Media today, so they are very least aware of the current situation on political and socio-economic issues in Singapore. However, the Singapore society imposes specific demands on youths that rob them of time for political participation.” As students, youths embark on a paper chase in the name of meritocracy. They spent hours cramping notes into their heads, only to be forgotten upon the completion of examinations. When they finally graduate from school for good, they are thrusted in rat race to pay for loans, credit cards and other material pursuit.
Social security is probably the most important issue for Jarrod. When asked what would be his first policy if he were to be Prime Minister, Jarrod said, “Set up a retrenchment fund.” The retrenchment fund should be financed by the reduction in annual remuneration of ministers and senior civil servants. The fund will provide temporary benefits to Singaporeans. Unlike the existing ComCare Fund, criteria for qualification would be made public.
Read also: SDP censored again by again
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Neo, you have Awaken.
Now, lead us.
sincerely
Morpheus
Thanks a million, Jarrod!
“Don’t be disheartened by the small number of detractors here. They are probably paid to do a job.”
The are SURELY paid to do this dirty work. They are affectionately called the PAP IB. Just look out for the comments with a minus sign!!
The opposition must continue to attract talented and committed individuals like Jarrod into his ranks. They must be ready to lead.
The people are unhappy with the policies of the MIW and are ready to vote for Change. Power could come into the hands of the opposition as early as the next elections.
Time for Change is now. Singaporeans united for Change.
It is great of TOC to give us an insight of people in opposition. Would you also be able to let us know what activities are the opposition doing to engage the people? What are the difficulties of the opposition parties in recruiting people to join them? Does the opposition welcome volunteer to help them? If they do welcome volunteer, how can one volunteer himself or herself? Though I know that one can contact the party directly but if they can give some guideline and details, it will aid those who wish to volunteer to make a decision without fear of rejection.
Lets hope for more general info of opposition by TOC.
Who has the same EFFECT on the international community as LKY?
What happens After LKY?
The ‘Market’ is wide open for the next singapore idol.
Its up for grabs.
Which will be the next 1 dominant party?
Or would you prefer a more balanced 1 party system?
The time is here. The moment history can be remade.
The turning point is around the corner, I mean the next election.
Do you want change or accept the current system?
Remember, its you who decides what kind of life you are gonna be leading in future. Look at what is happening now.
Hi Singaporeboy,
If you post potentially defamatory stuff on TOC, it is TOC that would be responsible for defamation. Please refrain from such posting. If anyone of you had seen Jarrod as a waiter, it is most probably because he is in the food and beverage business. As your own boss, you have to man everything at the beginning.
Cheers
Donald
Review Editor
Any person representing for party and/or future candidate for General Election should have clean past history.
The person need not necessarily have a good academic track record,
He/she must have strong interest to safeguard our Singaporean interest.
Many Singaporean does not wish to have another LEE KUAN YEW who cheat and lie for his personal greed, and conquer Singaporean life and savings – CPF.
It is advisable for party(s) chairman to review candidate background before his/her new appointment to achieve confident vote.
The PAP has become so strong and entrenched that its power has become seemingly unshakable. And that is the basic cause of their elites becoming so arrogant and aloof over the years. How and why? Because the people, the commoners, the citizens have thrown their weight and support unto the PAP for so many years.
Remember the saying, “Ask not what the country can do for you. Ask what you can do for the country!”?
The time is now for all of us to ask ourselves what we can do for our country!
I see many people asking what the Opposition Parties are going to do for us; what activities are they preparing; what calibre of candidates do they have; etc.???
The Opposition Parties, as well as the PAP, are only as good as the people, the citizens, who are willing to throw their weight, support, encouragement, sympathy, commitment for them, and behind them.
In other words, the Opposition Parties can only be as strong as the people want them to be! Period.
Therefore, why not we ask ourselves this: “What can I do for the Opposition?”
What can we do for the Alternative Parties (the PAP labelled them as Opposition for a certain purpose) in order to change the impasse, the status quo, the huge income gap, the social divide, the nagging problems, the blatant legalised ‘corruption’, the hardships, the sufferings, the influx of foreigners, the sorry state of affairs that Singapore and Singaporeans in general are experiencing NOW?
What can all of us do in order to shift the political power from the total grip of the PAP back to the PEOPLE?
For the sake of all our old folks and for the sake of our future generations,
we have NO OTHER CHOICE but CHANGE NOW!
The thing about some singaporeans is this.
They are sometimes said to be ‘waiting for instructions’.
Case in the point:
1. venture abroad. need to be told.
2. do business in china. need to be told.
3. do this, do that. …..
4. racing is fun sport . before being told, they never watch F1 channels or magazines.
singaporeans need to be shown and given confidence that there is a career in opposition or in politics for them to join.
people like Jarrod should prove to them its ok to join opposition.
Then these talents will join.
Lets debunk the myths about Opposition:
1. Myth : there is SHORTAGE of talents to form a opposition team that can challenge them.
Busted: There ARE plenty of Talents of the same calibre. The problem is they don’t JOIN or Volunteer for Opposition. See the number of NMPs available.
2. Myth : some opposition party got a bad name or past. So, no one dares to join.
Busted : That is a Lame Excuse. Opposition party is to Serve the People’s interest. Talents exist and they can Form new parties like RP and even to the Extent of having all new faces but these come with strong working experience and even international experience. For example, international lawyers , world class accountants, international bankers etc.
So, cut the crap. The reasons given are pure Excuses, imho.
come rebut me if you can.
aiyoyo
go go go!
aiyoyo
How can you judge one’s character?
By what one does in the past, his actions and words.
And the company of people one keeps.
If one lies in the past, one will still lie in the future.
If one cheats in the past, one will still cheat in the future.
63) singapore boy on November 10th, 2009 8.15 pm
It is a shame, you can criticize MM LEE, SM Goh, LHL. or PAP
But you cannot say anything about Jarrod Luo.
Hello Singyboy! Jarrod owes you money, iggit?
“people still like their politicians to be role models. role models with proper qualifications and respectable occupations. ”
So respectable to the point of setting them (not their effigies) on fire?? Haha…it is SHT (Seng Han Thong, missing the I)
It seems that the PAP IB never sleeps eh? heh
Gotta give it to them for their their tenacity though, despite everyone seeing through their antics and giving them negative ratings they never stop.
If only more of our citizens had such focus and determination, albeit channeled in more constructive ways, Singapore would be the next world superpower in no time!