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Written on March 22, 2009 by Kelvin Teo
Clintongate in Singapore’s politics
Electing a candidate is like electing a religious head?
(photo credits:Kairin)
SINGAPORE – Keen observers of our local political scene will not fail to observe the polemicity in our mainstream media’s portrayal of key PAP and opposition candidates. Indeed there was a huge gulf of difference in how PAP candidate Mr Lui Tuck Yew and SDA opposition candiate, Steve Chia, were portrayed.
Mr Lui cuts a clean image. A pious man committed to his church and family, he is an academic high-achiever having won an SAF overseas scholarship to study at Cambridge, and later rising to Chief of Navy. He also does volunteer work at a pet-assisted therapy home at Bishan. In short, he is everything an ACS boy is expected to be – a scholar, an officer and a gentleman.
Steve’s portrayal was unfortunately at the other end of the spectrum. It was unfortunate that his wife reported her discovery of the topless photos of their maid in his computer, and the police was to get involved. Our media swooped down on Steve like hawks on their prey. Seemed like a Clintongate in the making, no? Obviously, it turned out that Steve didn’t commit any offense, but ironically the police “let him off with a warning”. So where was the police during the height of the Tammy Tan scandal when her handphone containing explicit videos of her intercourse with her boyfriend was released to the public? Did Tammy even get a warning?
It seems like our police is being magnanimous, no? To be let off with a warning appears to give an impression that an offense was committed, but the policing authority chooses to be generous in giving a second chance. Even Jack Neo chose to rub that in in his movie “One more chance”, which I found distasteful. Guang, a compulsive gambler successfully obtained a job at a firm which employs ex-convicts. His colleagues described the offenses they were convicted for, and one of them was a be-spectacled man nicknamed “Lecher” who was convicted for taking nude photos of his maid after his wife reported him to the police.
Jack’s movie was intended to achieve a noble aim which is to send a clear message to Singaporeans the importance of giving ex-convicts a second chance, and thus the tagline – help them (ex-convicts) unlock the second prison, the raison d’etre of the Yellow Ribbon campaign. Well, Jack, you just contradicted yourself. You convicted Steve for an “offense”, when in actual fact, it is a non-offense.
Back to the portrayal of PAP candidates, Mr Lui wasn’t the only Mr Picture Perfect. Similar new candidates had that kind of exposure too. Thus, it seems that an advertisement to join the PAP as a candidate for elections would read “Only whiter than white need apply”.
However, the most crucial question is if the electorate really place top priority on a candidate’s conduct over anything else. Maybe, a rhetorical question to ask is, if given a choice between candidate A whose profile reads strong in public policies but has a penchant for flings at Singapore’s red light districts and candidate B, a deeply religious family man who is weak in public policies, who will you choose?
My personal choice will be candidate A. Why? Simply pragmatism above anything else. And I am not the only voter with such a belief. We have to recognize that we are not perfect, and the fact that everyone inclusive of politicans are prone to certain faults serves to illustrate the frailty of our human self. Steve is no different from the rest of us.
And Steve has made his fair share of contributions during his time as a Non-constituency MP, an accolade awarded to the best performing opposition. For instance, Mr Chiam and him were pro-active in pushing for improvements within our education system. He has also touched on pertinent issues regarding transport and national service for instance.
Was Steve’s popularity even affected by that minor hiccup? Perhaps, not it seems. He actually improved on his showing at Chua Chu Kang SMC, garnering 39.63% of the votes during the elections of 2006 as compared to his previous showing in 2001 when he garnered 34.66%. Thus, it seems that Steve has done a Bill Clinton, except that no sex was involved. In both cases, the so-called scandals had little effect on their popularity. Like Steve’s improved showing during the electoral contest, Clinton left the presidential office with an approval rating of 66%, the best showing by an American president since World War II.
It is important for voters to realize that an electoral contest is different from a contest to elect a religious head who must display an exemplary conduct. Voters should select candidates who can best articulate their concerns in parliament, don’t you agree?
6 Comments on "Clintongate in Singapore’s politics"
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Kelvin_Teo on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 12:43 pm
Dear Dr Huang:
Interesting that you mentioned that the electorate expects their MP to be whiter than white. For the PAP's side, do you think they are the victims of their own high standards? They have been the dominant party, and the MSM has always given them a clean cut image. Perhaps, the electorate who are exposed to the MSM now expect their MPs to live up to that standard? Speaking of years of conditioning!
Actually contrary to your assessment regarding the hypocritical nature of the electorate, I thought that their reaction with regards to the slip ups on part of the PAP MP is quite natural. When a chap goes out and proclaims himself to be the gold standard of morality to the masses, he has to live up to the gold standard. If he slips up, the mass will descend upon him like hawks. And this is what the PAP has done with the marketing of their candidates as people whose conduct is of gold standard. The opposition on the other hand has never ventured to make such a bold claim about being the gold standard of personal conduct because they know that every little chink in their armour will be exaggerated and make known to all and sundry.
That being said, Steve Chia doesn't seem to suffer any ill effects of his minor hiccup, no? Perhaps, Steve has never proclaimed himself to represent the gold standard of personal conduct to begin with in revisiting my point in the second paragraph.
However, I think the pertinent question is whether Singaporeans are a pragmatic lot when it comes to electing their officials or character matters?
Sincerely yours
Dr Huang on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 10:05 am
Hi
It is debatable whether a politician’s personal behavior has no bearing on his ability to discharge his/her duty as an elected official.
The Singaporean electorate is a hypocritical lot. They themselves know that there is no perfect person yet want their MP to be whiter than white ( not alluding to PAP’s attire).
You just analyse for yourself, how the blogosphere (including the popular sites such as TOC) pick on slips and stumbles of PAP politicians.
In honest truth, I think in Steve Chia’s case, the PAP chose to treat him lightly. If Steve were JBJ or CSJ, the PAP would have gone to town to totally demolish whatever remained of his credibility after the “topless photo” saga.
The people still look for role models in their MP’s and Ministers. That is those on the PAP side are extremely careful not to slip up ( as far as morality is concerned).
A PAP MP/Minister caught having a fling in Geylang? Not while a Lee is the PM and MM.
I think the idea that an amoral person can be accepted as a Singaporean politician is a non-starter.
Sorry.
Dr.Huang on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 10:10 am
Hi Kelvin,
It is debatable whether a politician’s personal behavior has no bearing on his ability to discharge his/her duty as an elected official.
The Singaporean electorate is a hypocritical lot. They themselves know that there is no perfect person yet want their MP to be whiter than white ( not alluding to PAP’s attire).
You just analyse for yourself, how the blogosphere (including the popular sites such as TOC) pick on slips and stumbles of PAP politicians.
In honest truth, I think in Steve Chia’s case, the PAP chose to treat him lightly. If Steve were JBJ or CSJ, the PAP would have gone to town to totally demolish whatever remained of his credibility after the “topless photo” saga.
The people still look for role models in their MP’s and Ministers. That is those on the PAP side are extremely careful not to slip up ( as far as morality is concerned).
A PAP MP/Minister caught having a fling in Geylang? Not while a Lee is the PM and MM.
I think the idea that an amoral person can be accepted as a Singaporean politician is a non-starter.
Sorry.
DrHuang on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 1:40 pm
(part one of comment)
Hi
Until the playing field is evened (if ever), Singaporeans ( myself included) are pragmatic enough to give the opposition a discount ie we will accept a lower standard from them than from the PAP (my honest opinion). I know this is not right but what to do?
Yes Steve may seem not to have suffered from his “episode of stupidity” but do you believe that there is a hardcore opposition block that will vote against the PAP no matter what? That hardcore block + “enlightened and pragmatic voters” = Steve’s vote wayback then.
Yes the PAP’s inability to get “really good” people to join them is indeed due to their being “givtims of their own high standards”. But is that a bad thing? At least we don’t get the obvious corrupt people lining their own pockets with ill-gotten gains ( in the normal sense of “corrupt”). Of course some will argue that since they are paid so high salaries- there is no need to be illegally corrupt! Haha.
Dr.Huang on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 1:41 pm
(part two)
If they lower the standard- what happens? On top of the usual candidates ie real idealists/ people who are arm-twisted to join – made offers that they cannot refuse/ambitious ones who use politics to advance professions etc, there will be worse types who make crooked deals to line their pockets and who have mistresses to boot.
IMO- lowering the standards is not the way to go- but instead change the system (abolish GRC’s/ remove astronomical salaries) so that people who really have passion for people and want to do good will then join politics. Presently the really good ones will not join for they will be tainted and taunted that they join because they want money!
I know that this sound naïve but in established democracies like UK and European countries etc, people join politics because it is an honorable thing for able people to step up to lead.
smallvice585 on Fri, 27th Mar 2009 12:15 am
When Lui Tuck Yew said he doesn't watch porn, I can't help thinking he is a freak and a wierdo. Who doesn't watch porn, really? Is that how he become the Acting Minister for MICA?