Alex Tham /
A whole host of issues are being fought over in this year’s General Elections. At the national level, rising housing prices, the rate of immigration and income inequality are among the hot topics that animate public passions. In the political arena, the debate rages over the need for alternative representation in parliament and whether candidates without the necessary political maturity deserve a free pass. At the district level, the usual carrot/whip of HDB upgrading has once again become a divisive issue. The personal has also not been spared, with accusations of abuse of power, incompetence and hidden agendas levelled on both sides of the PAP-Opposition fence. In the face of all these competing issues, the question is no longer just about who we should vote. It has now become extremely important to also consider what we are voting for.
Diversity versus Division – this is the choice facing all Singaporeans in the 2011 GE, regardless of the issues being contested.
Singapore’s success has much to do with how a community was forged out of diverse cultures. Diversity is a key ingredient for growth and resilience. One definition of entrepreneurship is the combination of previously unconnected resources to create an innovative new product. Similarly, almost everyone today knows that diversity is a crucial risk-management strategy for an investment portfolio. With regard to political and economic leadership, credit goes to the early leaders of the PAP who moved us away from racially-polarised politics with its corresponding ties to religion, and implemented economic policies that created a large middle-class. A glance at other countries divided along lines of race, religion or class will show that the unity we enjoy in Singapore is not to be taken for granted.
But even more credit must go to Singaporeans themselves, without whom none of what the country has achieved would be possible. From the blue collar workers of the 1970s to the professionals and service providers today, Singaporeans have participated collectively in nation-building. Even today we are one of the most hardworking people in the world. The 2008-09 Global Wages Report released by the International Labour Organisation showed that Singaporeans worked an average of more than 40 hours a week in 2008, more than South Korea and Taiwan.
Singapore’s best resource is its citizens. We possess diverse social and cultural forms of capital that are complemented with high levels of education. Singaporeans have the potential to create innovative, high-value products and services. Yet despite this potential, we currently lag behind comparable countries like Israel and Taiwan in our capacity for innovation. According to the 2010-11 Global Competitiveness Report, Singapore’s local supplier quality is worse than Cyprus, Slovenia and Costa Rica. Ironically, the report ranked Singapore first for wages that reflect productivity. But productivity, as was widely reported in 2010, is Singapore’s weak spot. So in fact, Singaporeans are already “cheaper, better, faster”. But we can be much more.
The problem is not the individual. On the contrary, the problem is too much individualism. Diversity does not automatically produce innovation or high-value. Without ties of solidarity connecting different groups together, diversity becomes division as individuals come into conflict with each other. People need to work together for the greater good, not out-compete each other to the lowest common denominator. Unfortunately, the direction Singapore has taken over the past five years has been towards more divisiveness and individualism, instead of a diverse and productive community.
The two casinos are emblematic of the move away from social cohesion towards economic individualism. As outgoing minister Lim Boon Heng acknowledged, the choice to do so was not easy. In the meantime, inequality has increased since the last two elections. In 2001, our Gini coefficient based on original income per household member was 0.456 (as reported by the Department of Statistics, Key Household Income Trends, 2010). This spiked to 0.489 in 2007 before remaining at 0.480 in 2010. In comparison, the US had a Gini of 0.466 in 2008. So although we lack many of the freedoms of the US, the current single-party regime has nevertheless taken on the negative aspects of America’s individualist ethos. If things carry on as they are, will we head down the slippery slope of privatising more and more of our public goods and sources of social solidarity?
This growth-at-all-costs model of economic development has created a climate where xenophobia is prone to breed. Modern Singapore was built by immigrants. It was the solidarity that came from community-building that made it possible to create a nation out of diverse groups. One of the forms of community-service that builds solidarity is National Service. As a crucial rite-of-passage that binds old and new Singaporeans together, NS should not be devalued by a fast and loose Permanent Resident policy. Care should also be taken to ensure that Singapore’s best resource — her citizens — is not exploited by foreigners. Many Singaporeans believe that wages are depressed by cheap foreign labour and that preferential hiring practices of foreign managers have created barriers to upward mobility. These beliefs have yet to be taken seriously, investigated and addressed. If there is genuine transfer of knowledge, the beneficiary will be a stronger and more diverse Singaporean community that will have no reason to resent foreigners.
Contrary to community solidarity, this GE has seen numerous instances of the ruling party fomenting division instead of diversity. Besides disgraceful personal slurs, the most egregious example of privileging division over diversity is the threat of withholding HDB upgrading. By definition, HDB upgrading should be a public good. However, the convergence of a single political party with the state has enabled the PAP to appropriate such public goods for private party interests. This political tactic of divide-and-rule has not created a climate of productive competition between Singaporeans, but a self-serving “me first” attitude. How does division help create a better Singapore for Singaporeans? As Singaporeans take on more complex identities in addition to race and religion in the future, this question will become even more pertinent.
Singapore has now become too multifaceted and the issues too complex for politics and policies to be handled by just one party. The sentiment on the ground this election shows the bottled up demand for diversity of representation. This can either happen gradually, which gives us time to learn how to be a mature community of citizens who can debate issues responsibly. Or it might be a drastic transition many years down the road, which might be too much too late. The change should be gradual and it should start with this election.
There is no reason to believe that greater diversity in politics will be divisive. In fact, how politics is conducted very much depends on the example set by the ruling party. No matter how well the Opposition does in the 2011 GE, the cabinet will still be led by the PAP. The Opposition’s role for now is to ensure that our parliament becomes a genuine forum for deliberative democracy. They definitely have good, high-calibre candidates for this important responsibility. More importantly, the Opposition’s “Singaporeans-first” ethos points in the right direction of community-building. By providing a much-needed diversity of representation, the Opposition can limit policy groupthink. The healthy political competition can spur Singapore’s civil service to formulate and test a wider range of innovative policies to better the lives of most of us and not just some of us.
Do you want Singapore to be a diverse community or a divided country? Your vote will determine which path Singapore takes.
Alex Tham is a Singaporean who served NS more than a decade ago and is currently doing his graduate studies at Princeton University.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZZcyU5eG5g&NR=1
Promises After Promise(PAP)-Liers
Wolves in Sheep White skin
Be our voice for us from Tanjong Pagar
Dear Fellow Singaporeans,
This is a long journey. And it begins with a single step.
Over the the last few days, we have stood in the rain, voiced our dissent, wrote about our pain, let their words fire our hearts, and felt for our fellow countrymen. While we are united in blood and in pain; the division of us is also evidently displayed. The disenfranchised, the dis-advantaged, the ones left behind, the left wingers, the right wingers, the gays, the conservatives. In this national debate, we have let class, race and religion come between us. We have unkindly labelled each of us according to our political inclinations. In this division, we need to find unity.
Come the 7th, we elect our leaders. From the reds, the blues and the whites, they all claim to speak and act in our interest. But they do not really know us. And factually, we , the people do not also really know them. Whoever they will be, let them walk our walk, take our buses, feel our pain; and come up with the best solutions that will solve short term pains while not sacrifice long term goals.
We ask of not much. We ask to find our voice. We ask to reclaim our country. We ask them to listen. We want them to seek our opinion. And at the end of the debate, let us come together and build the Country.
And should the whites win, we hope that they will listen now and forever. The moral covenant of trust has to be rebuilt. The reds and blues should not give up but still work to bring relief to the residents they so claim to want to serve. And 5 years later, they will have another chance. Let not this momentum go to waste.
And should the reds and blues get in; let them think wisely and act rationally. Do not forget the wave of discontent that swept them to power. And a reminder that action now comes after the talk.
Nation building is a long journey. This is but one chapter. And in this chapter, after all the name-calling, the anger, the emotions, we need to remind ourselves that we are but a tiny red dot. Everyone of us is important. We need to stay united as One. We need to heal the divides. We need to close ranks.
History is upon us. We stand on the edge of the New Singapore. A Singapore that is no longer quiet, no longer muted. And in that sense, we have already awakened. The New Singapore already belongs to all of us. And we have already found our voice.
ps- TOC- thank you for being the soapbox
Yes divisive or not all depends on the ruling party. Whether they are willing to work with opposition or remain as arrogant and aloof.
It is very naive and narrow-minded of PAP to want to fix opposition.
Be AWARE of new MPs pass their BILLS 2U
a) Energy Sector-Sale of Spore Power etc.Why the new MP from this sector?
b) Finance – New MP is from MAS,Why is he being voted into as MP?
c) Defence Sector–New MP why is our defence spent increasing?
We need a LOUDER opposition to STOP them to pass more unknown bills to SPOREAN
The PAP government has alienated itself from the people after 52 years in power. In its headlong pursuit of GDP growth, it failed to realize that it has neglected the common people. To make matters worse it rewarded itself with huge increases in salaries while the salaries of the common people remained largely unchanged. This has aroused dissatisfaction as the people see the ministers as greedy and self-serving. To date, no ministers have commented on their high salaries except Woody Goh who justified the high salaries of the ministers by saying that the people did not mind.
Singapore is now divided into two classes: The haves and the haves not. This is not good for the country.
well, mbt and the rest unfortunately tmr at least win 85-86 seats like the past 50 years, cos the traditional media which they control the elders still outnumber greatly the online community as it is biased favourably towards pappies… so if oppo wins is a great miracle. I salute them for the commitments and great effort through. cos there are great disadvantages that they are facing..
from grc advantages, short polling days, electorate and voting counting biase, cooling day magic..
be prepared for foreigners to flood in at least 900k to dilute our populations, it is good to have foreigners, but the control and balance was lost.
also, be prepared more oppo members are sued like the previous, and also many more oppo members dont come out to serve again… what a day tomorrow
sorry… singaporeans dont have the good fortune cos they are too greedy, too short sighted.
i vote for my nieces and newphews who will carry more debts and bills and next generations, not just for the sake of opposition.
Please ask aljunied resident to watch the
final WP rally at serangoon stadium last night on video or website/s
Each person spoke with true conviction
from start to end of rally.
They will serve as singaporeans who already understand all our problems, as
clearly pointed out last night.
They are committed to represent our real voices and can work for our greater good.
Yeh, diversity with courage – hallmark of doing the right thing. Reminds one of Ong Teng Cheong – now being revisited with calls to give CPF back in good time to citizens who needed cash for day to day living & survival.
Yes diversity in thought already existed years ago.
Also such diversity in wisdom is absence in policy makers today.
Group think if any can be broken with diversity with courage…
It’s a BEAUTIFUL day, folks!! Heaven is smiling on us!
TODAY is OUR day!
TODAY is the REAL once-in-50-years happening!
TODAY, WE decide if the PAP’s performance for the last 5 years was good or bad!
TODAY, WE hold the key to OUR future!
TODAY, WE hold the power of OUR govt!
TODAY, WE stand up proudly as Singaporeans!
TODAY, it is WE who count!
Best wishes to my fellow-Singaporeans! May God guide you in your choice!
70% is Chinese. Does this Characterise the country?
I am really not sure.
What i feel over the past 30 years is citizens have been Self-Centered, neighbors have been not as warm as during the kampung days where life is much simpler.
We have been hearing about a new phenomenon about 15 years ago called the Ugly Singaporean.
This society is based on how good a person can study. This has fundamental flaws.
Which really BAD guy is not SMART?
IQ does not mean EQ.
Self-Interest over People Interest.
Self-Censor.
Self Preservation over People Preservation.
DIVIDED and Conquered.
Does this mean, REGARDLESS of ALL and ANY FUTURE Policies no matter how bad the effects on the commoner people, the HAVES will continue to keep their mouths quiet so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for THEMSELVES?
If this is the case, is it not SELF-FISHness?
What Comaraderie do we have to fight invaders of the country?
I feel that Singaproeans have not been able to UNITE except being UNITED by Money and Self Interest.
Those who benefitted most from the System could not be Expected to Vote for CHANGE.
This is HUMANITY.
What is happening to Singaporean is a vicious cycle of voting repeatedly only PAP as the majority ruling party.
Many Singaporean who went job hunting may found that their CVs or resumes with good educational qualification of working experience gone into waste as it did not help them getting a permanent job or just a job. Many ended up jobless, or on short term contract job, temp job or some job that nobody would like to do. Older and the less educated ended up as cleaners at food market or security guards. So was all the CVs and good education, upgrading ended as waste? No, not really, as least not for the other side of story. The CVs for those who did not get a job were recycled. They do not end up in the desk bin immediately, in fact they are useful for the company.
The shocking fact is that they are recycled either by Companies HR or recruitment agencies to employ foreign workers or what our GOV termed “Foreign Talents”. MOM or Ministry of Manpower will usually reject employment of foreigners at first try. But on appeal, if the Company or HR presented that they have conducted series of recruitment exercise, interviewed potential candidates will just need to recycle all the CVs and resumes collected during the recruitment exercise, present on the appeal that none of the candidates in the recycle list qualified for the job whereas the only the foreigner qualified. Having seen all the justifications by the appellant , MOM has no reason to reject the application. Who on MOM really check that Singaporean are no deprived the job? No, they will not, they depend on input from employers. Many of these employers could be either local companies or one of those foreign companies PAP GOV attracted to setup companies here with all kind of tax relieve incentives.
Many Singaporean CVs and resume could be sacrificed in justification to employ one foreigner for a vacancy. From MOM statistics, the foreigner should be better compare to Singaporean isn’t it? Imagine the whole stack of Singaporean did not made the mark while the only foreigner made it, he must be more talented, so they should be termed “Foreigner Talent”. Ask MOM, they will show you these facts, Singaporean are not better compare for foreigners, but is this true?
It is sad to see many highly educated graduates end up only with their good educations CVs used as justification for foreign employment. The PAP GOV implemented policies to welcome foreigner to work and contributed to Singapore, but when the administration are not checked to ensure the process is fair, Singaporean ended up in the losing end. No amount of apology can compensate the amount of pain Singaporean job hunters has suffered. So every time we see a foreigner PMET, his presence here is with the “blessing” and sacrifices of easily ten to twenty or even more Singaporean applicants. The system to check and ensure that Singaporean not deprived is not there, we need someone to ensure the GOV has such checking system.
Parents of current generation children who are struggling to get good grades, spending hundreds or thousands to get good education, I am sorry to say if these vicious cycle created by PAP GOV not stopped, your children’s CVs may ended up in MOM office for the justification for a foreigner whom may not be equally good. Graduates and job hunters who had send many CVs and resumes but who are in vain of getting a job, now you know why and where your CVs are.
HDB flats are another big issue, PM Lee said lets share Singapore. To truly share Singapore, we must truly own the only “asset” most Singaporean have in their lifetime here, their HDB flat. To convert “asset” to asset, it has to be freehold to Singaporean so that the amount of hard work we sweat and sow for one generation of hard work will not expire in 99 years time by HDB. Nobody gave HDB the mandate to “sell” HDB to Singapore under leasehold arrangement, how can they continue to do this to us from 1960s where most Singaporean are not well educated and do not really understand what leasehold meant to them. Now we know leasehold is not fair to us and future generation, we have to correct it now, these HDB vicious cycle must be stopped. As Singaporean, we should fight for our right to claim a piece of Singapore to be truly belong to us.
Why this vicious cycle? PAP GOV MPs are too happy with whatever system the put in place for so many years and will not likely to make any changes, we need opposition voices to do so. Many of us should regret not voting enough oppositions into parliament for so many years. Let’s not regret for not correcting the wrong this time.
HDB flats are another big issue, PM Lee said lets share Singapore. To truly share Singapore, we must truly own the only “asset” most Singaporean have in their lifetime here, their HDB flat. To convert “asset” to asset, it has to be freehold to Singaporean so that the amount of hard work we sweat and sow for one generation of hard work will not expire in 99 years time by HDB. Nobody gave HDB the mandate to “sell” HDB to Singapore under leasehold arrangement, how can they continue to do this to us from 1960s where most Singaporean are not well educated and do not really understand what leasehold meant to them. Now we know leasehold is not fair to us and future generation, we have to correct it now, these HDB vicious cycle must be stopped. As Singaporean, we should fight for our right to claim a piece of Singapore to be truly belong to us.
Why this vicious cycle? PAP GOV MPs are too happy with whatever system the put in place for so many years and will not likely to make any changes, we need opposition voices to do so. Many of us should regret not voting enough oppositions into parliament for so many years. Let’s not regret for not correcting the wrong this time.
FORWARD THIS MSG AS FAR AS U CAN.
I am replying to AFriendInNeed. Now that we have a small opposition in Parliament in Aljunied GRC, although merely a foothold, I would like to suggest that we ask for people who have become victims of elites teaming up with State Institutions to hound them to tell their stories of how they have been harassed. This kind of symbiosis is common in the failed States of the Middle East where the Elites routinely get the secret police on the trail of their enemies to crush them. In these states the tyranny is open, where people are pulled out of their cars and smacked. Here in Singapore it is more covert.Here a prominent personality close to the Govt, frequently a ‘top’lawyer, calls his friends in the ISD to do the job on his enemy. Nowadays because of the bad press on Muslims, MUIS is also a great player. Together, in one case, MUIS and the ISD weave a web of lies into the personal identity electronic records of of their targets in the ICA. So the hapless citizen is victimized by checks and threats each time he makes an appearance at an Immigration Checkpoint. His complaints to the Authorities typically will not elicit any response or at best negative response. Even the AG will scorn him and refuse the State’s Courts to investigate why he is tormented. The victim is forced into a desperate state of being assailed by unknown forces for undeclared crimes. This will continue until the end of his litigation where he will be soundly trounced by a judge who is also a part of this symbiotic arrangement.
There is an evil symbiotic arrangement between elites and State Institutions which can readily be commandeered to go after the enemies of the elites’ friends. No longer are these premier policing institutions focussed on enemies of the State ( Mas Selamat escaped because the security police are running all over the place in errands for their political masters).
I hope that people will read this posting of mine and yours and add to the narrative, so that we can get a groundswell of evidence of this sort of corruption. You must know that being in control of the electronic identity records is a strategic tool to cow anyone because every aspect of his life can then be monitored and assasinated. This kind of ambush is the sharp edge of States that are consolidating power beyond normal politics. We have got to stop it before it becomes widespread. I have a feeling that it is already widespread but our genteel population do not want to tell of how they have been violated by a string of thuggish State Institutions at the behest of elite lawyers on instructions of clients
Aljunied should lead the way into all the issues. Top of the list is thuggish mafia rogue police state, high Ministerial salaries, foreign workers and other things foreign, a comprehensive economic plan, not just earnings of casinos and prostitutes and other get rich quick schemes.