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Written on March 6, 2009 by Kelvin Teo
Are Singaporean voters’ expectations of the opposition too high?
(photo credits:)
Start off by putting more opposition in the parliament to allow them to gain a critical mass?
SINGAPORE – Tuning in to coffeeshop talks and discussions is a good way for one to soak in the fever of the General Elections in Singapore. Whilst the justifications among those voting for the opposition are typical of what one can find in domains supportive of the opposition’s cause, the most interesting group of voters are those who vote for PAP because they cannot find better alternatives other than the ruling PAP. These are the people who are not satisfied with the performance of the PAP-dominated government, but end up voting for PAP because they feel that there is no viable replacement for the latter.
“If I vote for the opposition instead of PAP, is the former able to run Singapore? I doubt it.” is the standard quote among such a group of voters. It is difficult to disagree with their reasoning. History provides a good backing behind their justification.
First and foremost, no opposition Member of the Parliament (MP) has ever been involved in the running of a government ministry. Running a government ministry is taken to mean a ministerial portfolio. Policy-making within a government ministry requires important information, data and statistics relating to the public, but these are not available to an opposition candidate as opposed to a PAP minister in charge. Neither would the former have access to government think-thanks comprising policy experts. Obviously, no one expects the opposition to be able to run Singapore, much less a government ministry.
Such luxury is enjoyed by the PAP owing in large part to its recruitment of candidates who used to serve at the top echelons of the civil service. These candidates won government scholarships during an early part of their lives and have enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top. They obviously hold the aces with respect to their experience in running government ministries as top civil servants.
Thus, while one has to concur with skeptics questioning the opposition’s ability to run Singapore, the basic question that has to be addressed is if the opposition in its current state is even expected to run Singapore in the first place?
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5 Comments on "Are Singaporean voters’ expectations of the opposition too high?"
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The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 6 Mar 09 on Fri, 6th Mar 2009 11:21 am
[...] Election 2009 – Kent Ridge Common: Are Singaporean voters’ expectations of the opposition too high? – Hard Hitting in the Lion City: Strategy & Timing – Blowin’ In The Wind: The $1.6 [...]
soojenn on Fri, 6th Mar 2009 3:02 pm
I think you don’t have your thoughts straight. PAP is a party currently in power and running the government. The government consists of civil servants who work for the government at tax payers costs, and at the moment for PAP beacuase they are the power in control. The current running of the government is not done ONLY by a minister. Look at the current veteran million dollar ministers like Wong Kan Seng. Are they able to run a governement ministry well? I have my doubts There are also many others co-opted, NOT elected, newbies who have also NOT run ministries before. This is the fallacy. Voting an opposition member into the parliament and have them run a ministry would be interesting. I do not see this as difficult if there is the whole civil service structure established to run the governmental machinery. Look at HK. When the British exited, the government did not collaspe. The civil service structure in place was still running the government even with a new set of Legco in place. What Singapore needs in such oppostion parties is the vision, stamina, to steer Singapore forward with the people’s epxectations in mind.
The MSM has apparently tried its best to blacken whatever has been done by the oppostion members, especially outspoken ones putting them in an unfavorable light, though not surprsingly since they are government controlled, and in the current situation PAP controlled propoganda machineries. I don’t see any similar reports on members of the PAP, only glowing ones. Since most Singaporeans as the ST claims are on their circulation, much more than the socio-blogs in the new media, it is only natural that such Singapreans will have the biased views projected by the MSM over a long period of time.
I do not believe that Singaporeans are currently expecting any opposition to run Singapore. It is interesting how you arrive at this or is asking this question in the first place? For a start, it will be useful to have principled oppostion members who are not cowed into tame behaviour once elected, to voice out and discuss what is most in the people’s mind, incorporate such feedback into their policy making, and not have feedback just for feedback sake.
Ravi Philemon on Fri, 6th Mar 2009 4:12 pm
Good analysis Kelvin. The opposition too may need to accept the fact that they need to start with ‘baby-steps’ (perhaps)…
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 10 on Sat, 7th Mar 2009 11:15 am
[...] Have you checked out your details on ‘Registers of Electors’? – Kent Ridge Common: Are Singaporean voters’ expectations of the opposition too high? – Hard Hitting in the Lion City: Strategy & Timing – Blowin’ In The Wind: The $1.6 [...]
Wordpress on Thu, 12th Nov 2009 3:40 pm
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