Welcome, Guest

Want to take part in these discussions? Sign in if you have an account, or apply for one below

• Forgot your password?
• Apply for membership

1. • CommentAuthorAdam
   • CommentTimeMar 13th 2008

    # 1
   Singapore is a young country (42+ years old soon), and we have come a long way. Thanks to our forefathers, we now have a clean, safe and materially sufficient home.
   
   As a Singaporean, i feel that there is a need to be concerned with the sustainability of our country, and the continuity of our nation-building effort.
   
   Will the current political structure ensure, in the long run, a strong, competent and corrupt-free government run by Singaporeans who put the welfare of the nation over their own?
2. • CommentAuthorkelvinq
   • CommentTimeMar 13th 2008

    # 2
   Reminds me of the elections in Malaysia -
   
   For the rest of you who are not informed, the ruling coalition in Malaysia failed to secure a 2/3 majority (needed for constitution amendments). To see the significance of the Malaysian elections, see -
   
   

   The results of several states have been rather surprising to everybody involved. Many of the states BN have lost are those on western coast of Peninsular Malaysia where it has traditionally focused most of its attention to. These states experienced more development and investment than other states, and account for much of the country's population. The remaining states that have given BN its simple majority are states that are economically weaker than what the opposition have gained.

   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_general_election%2C_2008
   
   Of course, you can argue that the (political) situation in Malaysia and Singapore are completely different. But - we do see a growth in opposition support in Singapore from our last elections and the "livening" up of elections - mostly due to the New Media.
   
   With that in mind, I expect changes. Not drastic ones but slow incremental changes in the politics of Singapore to accommodate to more alternative views.
   
   What do you think?
3. • CommentAuthorsubmersiblehelicoptr
   • CommentTimeMar 13th 2008

    # 3
   Hmmm. Perhaps the question could be posed in a different way?
   
   What's stopping you from pursuing your own dreams?
   
   I'd like to think that I don't need a government to tell me what to do. I'd just prefer one that gets out of my way. Though one could construe my views are potentially parochial, I'm a firm believer that most of the good work done in this world is by the private/social sector. It's going to be the innovators that will drive society forward. Just look at the tech industry. Better yet, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE
   
   I think that a crazy melting pot of unbridled of creative innovation is fundamental to our future success. This will not be done by any traditional top down effort by out political system. It will be one that surfaces from people like us. In mediums like these.
4. • CommentAuthorjoelfirenze
   • CommentTimeMar 13th 2008

    # 4
   I agree with Sub, in that, I really won't care about what the top says. But it would be great if people at the top changed their attitudes and sought to maybe just *encourage* people to step up, and maybe *tweak* education in the direction of creativity and innovation.
5. • CommentAuthorAdam
   • CommentTimeMar 15th 2008

    # 5
   Sub, there is nothing stopping me from pursuing my own dreams.
   
   The focus of the question is not the "dream", but the "political structure". Yes, government is seldom the one that propel a society forward. But i presume you guys will agree with me that in any society in today's world, there is always a government. I have never came across a society with no government, and if there is one, i am not sure if the society can survive better than the society with one. A government takes care of issues that are not addressed by individuals. A government may redistribute wealth to help the poor, may step up educational development (infrastructure, education system, teachers etc) if there are no individual (private sector) who is willing to venture into education sector. In the context of Singapore, if education of the youngs is not a priority in the Singapore Dream, and receive no support from the government and presumably no involvement from the private sector, i cannot imagine how Singapore will look like now, and how would i become without education.
   
   A good governance is one that will propel the society forward. It is one that will incorporate all the desired conditions mentioned by sub and joel. A good government should:
   
   1. "get out of the way" from potential "innovators" who can "drive the society forward"
   2. decentralize decision control to the private sector if "creative innovation is fundamental to our future success" and "encourage people to step up"
   3. centralize decision control only when the private sector has no access to information that the government has
   4. "tweak education in the direction of creativity and innovation" if these two qualities are critical to propel the society forward.
   
   Now, if a good government is essential to propel a society forward, the question comes "do we have a political structure in Singapore sustainable in propelling Singapore forward?"
   Some issues related to these questions:
   - what is the direction that Singapore should move forward to? What should the shared vision for Singaporeans be?
   - Is the one-party control of government feasible in the long run?
   - If not do we have the mechanism in our political structure to manage a balance power of ruling party with equally strong opposition party?
   - Will the expensive compensation package for our ministers effectively ensure the competency of the leaders in the government?
   
   What do you guys think?
6. • CommentAuthorjoelfirenze
   • CommentTimeMar 15th 2008

    # 6
   I think that was a rather good summary of what we think governance is. But I think that pursuing the Singapore dream is largely decoupled from our political structures. I think that that was Sub's suggestion right at the start, that today, becasue of all these fantastic technologies around, we can start our own initiatives.
   
   What is the Singapore dream anyway?
7. • CommentAuthorAdam
   • CommentTimeMar 20th 2008

    # 7
   I don't know what is the Singapore dream yet. Perhaps i have some idea of what is the dream that our government has for Singapore. This is perhaps something to look into.
   
   Everyone has the power to dream, and the right to pursue the dream. However, the maximum achievement you can attain is personal achievement, one that belongs to you. For a community of individuals who share a common dream, the maximum achievement the individual can attain is both personal and is one that is shared by the community. Very often, a community like this can achieve far more than a community with no common dream.
8. • CommentAuthorkelvinq
   • CommentTimeMar 20th 2008

    # 8
   Are we going offtopic on this? What Adam was trying to ask, I guess, was if the current political structure of Singapore encourages/stifles an individual pursuit of his/her dream.
   
   See this post below (which he has written beautifully) -
   http://interesthink.com/forum/?CommentID=64
9. • CommentAuthorterence
   • CommentTimeMay 25th 2008

    # 9
   No, the political structure will change. Singapore needs Singaporeans who are trained to succeed. Fighters and survivors. However, the environment doesnt encourage it, and that is why we are in a situation where its tough to find suitable candidates for ministerial posts, and even the existing ministers might not have what it takes.
   
   A vibrant multi-party parliament will enable Singaporeans to learn to first sharpen their skills engaging their own communities and then engage other communities.